High Detection Sensitivity of Ultraviolet 4H-SiC Avalanche Photodiodes

Author

Bai, Xiaogang ; Guo, Xiangyi ; Mcintosh, Dion C. ; Liu, Han-Din ; Campbell, Joe C.

Author_Institution

Univ. of Virginia, Charlottesville

Volume

43

Issue

12

fYear

2007

Firstpage

1159

Lastpage

1162

Abstract

We report 4H-SiC p-i-n avalanche photodiodes (APDs) with very low dark current. When biased for a photocurrent gain M of 1000, a 100-mum-diameter device exhibits dark current of 5 pA (63 nA/cm²), corresponding to primary multiplied dark current of 5 fA (63 pA/cm²). The peak responsivity at unity gain is 93 mA/W (external quantum efficiency = 41%) at lambda = 280 nm. The excess noise factor corresponds to k = 0.1. Detection of several tens of femtowatts of ultraviolet light is reported.

Keywords

avalanche photodiodes; dark conductivity; p-i-n photodiodes; photoconductivity; silicon compounds; wide band gap semiconductors; SiC - Interface; dark current; detection sensitivity; external quantum efficiency; noise factor; p-i-n avalanche photodiodes; photocurrent gain; size 100 mum; ultraviolet light; wavelength 280 nm; Avalanche photodiodes; Dark current; Laser modes; Military communication; PIN photodiodes; Photoconductivity; Semiconductor device noise; Signal to noise ratio; Silicon carbide; Tunneling; Avalanche photodiodes (APDs); linear mode; silicon carbide (SiC); ultraviolet (UV);

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9197

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/JQE.2007.905031

Filename

4376268