Low-noise solar-blind AlxGa1-xN-based metal-semiconductor-metal ultraviolet photodetectors

We report the growth, fabrication, and characterization of high performance Schottky metal-semiconductor-metal solar-blind photodetectors fabricated on epitaxial Al_0.4Ga_0.6N layers grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. The devices exhibited low dark current (<2 pA at 30 V) and a gain-enhanced ultraviolet (UV) photocurrent for bias voltages >40 V. The gain was corroborated by external quantum efficiency measurements reflecting a quantum efficiency as high as 49% (at=272 nm) at 90 V bias, with a corresponding responsivity R=107 mA/W. A visible-to-UV rejection factor of more than three orders of magnitude was demonstrated. Time-domain and frequency-domain speed measurements show a 3-dB bandwidth of ∼100 MHz. Low-frequency noise measurements have determined a detectivity (D^*) as high as 3.3 10¹⁰ cm·Hz^1/2/W for a 500 Hz bandwidth at 37 V bias.     

背照式AlGaN基双色日盲紫外探测器

Abstract： Back-illuminated AlxGal-xN-based dual-band solar-blind ultraviolet （UV） photodetectors （PDs） are realized by a three-terminal n-i-p-i-n heterojunction structure which is grown on sapphire substrate by metal organic chemical vapor deposition （MOCVD）. The two p-i-n junctions contained in the heterojunction structure can work separately and independently. Working in the photovoltaic mode, the PDs display peak responsivity of ～10.8 mA/W at 242 nm and ～5.0 mA/W at 257 nm, respectively. The two junctions with different size, whose diameters are 500 μm and 800 μm, exhibit almost the same leakage current of ～1.3× 10-9 A at a reverse bias of 10 V. Therefore, dark current densities of the two junctions are close to 6.6 × 10-7 A/cm2 and 2.6 × 10-7 A/cm2 at -10 V respectively.     

微微秒Al_xGa_(1-x)As双异质结激光器

用宽度为300微微秒的电脉冲驱动质子轰击条形的Al_xGa_(1-x)As双异质结激光器,产生12微微秒光脉冲。并已经用来检测快速光电二极管的响应速率。     

Monte Carlo study of GaAs/Alx Ga1-xAsMODFETs: effects of AlxGa1-xAs composition

Monte Carlo methods are used to compare electronic transport and device behavior in n⁺-Al_xGa_1-xAs/GaAs modulation-doped field-effect transistors (MODFETs) at 300 K for x =0.10, 0.15, 0.22, 0.30, 0.35, and 0.40. The differences between the x=0.22 and x=0.30 MODFETs with respect to parasitic conduction in Al_xGa_1-xAs, gate currents, and switching times, are of particular interest. The donor-related deep levels in Al_xGa_1-xAs, are disregarded by assuming all donors to be fully ionized, and the focus is only on the confinement and transport of the carriers. The following quantities are studied in detail: transfer characteristics (I_D versus V _G), transconductance (g_m), switching speeds (τ_ON), parasitic conduction in Al_xGa _1-xAs, gate current (I_G), average electron velocities and energies in GaAs and Al_xGa_1-x As, electron concentration in the device domain, k-space transfer (to low mobility L and X valleys), and details of the real-space transfer process     

Modeling of short-pulse threshold voltage shifts due to DX centersin AlxGa1-xAs/GaAs and AlxGa1-xAs/InyGa1-yAs MODFET's

The DX-center-related short-pulse threshold voltage shifts (SPTVS) in Al_xGa_1-xAs-based MODFETs is modeled using CBAND, a simulator that solves Poisson equations self-consistently with Schrodinger equations and donor statistics. Using values given in the literature for the DX energy level in Al_xGa_1-xAs this technique gives good agreement between measured and simulated SPTVS for Al_0.3Ga_0.7As/GaAs and Al_0.3Ga_0.7As/In_0.2Ga_0.8As MODFETs. Both simulation and experiment show that the use of Al_0.2 Ga_0.8As in the donor layer reduces the SPTVS relative to the structures using Al_0.3Ga_0.7As. However, the measured shifts at this composition are considerably lower than the simulated values, indicating a DX energy level that may be higher than the value extrapolated from the literature, possibly due to the existence of multiple trap levels. Despite this discrepancy, these results support the use of strained-channel layers and lower Al_x Ga_1-xAs compositions in MODFETs for digital and other large-signal applications requiring good threshold stability     

Short pulse transfer characteristics of AlxGa1-xAs/GaAs andAlxGa1-xAs/InyGa1-yAsmodulation-doped heterojunction FET's

Short-pulse drain current versus gate voltage transfer characteristics measured for modulation-doped HFETs (MODFETs) with four donor-layer-channel-layer combinations-(1) Al_0.3Ga_0.7 As-GaAs, (2) Al_0.2Ga_0.8As-GaAs, (3) Al_0.3Ga_0.7As-In_0.2Ga_0.8As, and (4) Al_0.2Ga_0.8As-In_0.2 a_0.8 As-are compared with the DC transfer characteristics. The measurements are relevant to high-speed switching in HFET circuits. Significant shifts in threshold voltage are observed between the DC and short-pulse characteristics for the structures with n⁺-Al_0.3Ga_0.7As donor layers, while the corresponding shifts for structures with n⁺-Al_0.2Ga_0.8As donor layers are relatively small or virtually nonexistent     

背照式高量子效率AlGaN日盲紫外探测器设计

高量子效率、高UV/VIS抑制比、宽的光谱响应范围、快的响应速度是AlGaN紫外探测器设计追求的主要目标。为了获得适宜于紫外焦平面阵列的探测器结构,结合MOCVD外延材料生长的特点,采用模拟计算与实验相结合的方法,设计了背照式高量子效率AlGaN日盲探测器。详细介绍了背照式AlxGa1-xN-pin紫外探测器结构参数设计的依据和设计过程,并给出了设计结果,通过工艺实验,对设计结果进行了优化。应用设计结果进行了器件试制,经测试试制器件,其峰值响应波长为270 nm,光谱响应范围为250～282 nm,峰值量子效率达到了57%（0V）,实验表明取得了比较理想的设计结果。     

Temperature dependence of the ionization coefficients of AlxGa1-xAs

As Al_xGa_1-xAs alloys are increasingly used for microwave and millimeter wave power devices and circuits that work under high electric field intensities and junction temperatures; understanding the temperature dependence of impact ionization and related properties in this material system becomes more and more important. Measurements of the multiplication gain and noise of avalanche photodiodes (APDs) provide insight to the avalanche characteristics of semiconductors. Previously, we have reported the characteristics of GaAs and Al_0.2Ga_0.8As APD's at room temperature. In this paper, the gain and noise of a series of homojunction Al_xGa_1-xAs APD's were investigated over a wide temperature range from 29°C to 125°C, and the temperature dependence of their ionization coefficients was extracted     

A study of wet oxidized AlxGa1-xAs forintegrated optics

An investigation of wet oxidized Al_xGa_1-xAs layers in integrated optical applications is reported. Refractive index and thickness shrinkage of wet oxidized Al_xGa_1-xAs layers are measured using spectroscopic ellipsometry. A Cauchy fit to the refractive index is found in the wavelength range between 0.3 and 1.6 μm. The refractive index at 1.55 μm is found to be 1.66±0.01 with little dispersion around 1.55 μm. Very low loss single-mode waveguides with metal electrodes showing very low polarization dependence of loss coefficient are fabricated using wet oxidized Al_xGa_1-xAs layers as upper cladding. Optical polarization splitters are also designed and fabricated from the same type of waveguides taking advantage of increased birefringence. Designs utilizing wet oxidized Al_xGa_1-xAs are compared with conventional designs using only compound semiconductor heterostructures     

Rectification in AlxGa1-xAs-GaAs N-n heterojunction devices

The previously unsolved problem of rectification at Al_xGa_1-xAs-GaAs N-n heterojunction is found to originate from a vague concept regarding the maximum junction grading width which can sustain rectification. The theoretical current density vs voltage characteristics of this heterojunction system are derived from thermionic emission theory. It is found that, unless the impurity concentration of the AlGaAs layer (prepared by LPE techniques) is less than 10¹⁶ cm^?3, typical 90–200 Å metallurgical grading widths at the N-n heterojunction interface produce either ohmic or poorly rectifying characteristics. These results explain (1) the lack of rectification in most N-n Al_xGa_1-xAs-GaAs heterojunctions reported in the literature and (2) the recent observation of significant rectification in high purity (N)Al_0.3Ga_0.7As-(n)GaAs heterojunctions reported by Chandra and Eastman.     

Femtosecond studies of intervalley scattering in GaAs and AlxGa1-xAs

Results are presented from ensemble Monte Carlo simulations of the relaxation of photoexcited electrons and holes. The results are compared directly with three types of femtosecond optical experiments: transient absorption saturation, pump and continuum probe, and tunable pump-probe experiments. For these experiments we find that intervalley scattering has a dominant effect for the first several hundred femtoseconds, and that electron-electron scattering is only important at later times.     

Minority electron transport anisotropy in p-type AlxGa1-xN/GaN superlattices

The minority electron diffusion length, L, in Mg-doped molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) grown p-type Al_xGa_1-xN/GaN superlattices with aluminum content x=0.1 and 0.2 was measured perpendicular and parallel to the superlattice planes by the electron beam induced current technique. A large anisotropy in the transport properties was observed with the effect varying from 1:3 to 1:6. We attribute an experimentally observed diffusion length anisotropy to minority electron scattering during transport across the potential barriers of the superlattice. Reference p-GaN samples were also investigated, and the diffusion length was observed to be isotropic in both MOCVD (L=0.5 μm) and MBE (L=0.27 μm) grown samples     

246nm p-i-n型背照AlGaN太阳盲紫外探测器的研制

设计并制备出短波长p-i-n型背照AlGaN太阳盲紫外探测器,响应波段为225～255 nm,峰值波长为246nm.材料为在蓝宝石衬底上生长的背照式p-i-n型异质结结构,n型窗口层的AlxGa1-xN中的Al组分为71%,非故意掺杂吸收层中的Al组分为52%.零偏压下测得的暗电流为27 pA,光电流为2.7nA,峰值...     

利用光致发光法测定AlxGa1-xN外延膜中的铝元素含量

采用深紫外光致发光技术测量AlxGa1-xN半导体异质外延膜的禁带宽度,结合Material Studio软件中的CASTEP模块模拟计算AlxGa1-xN异质外延膜材料的弯曲因子,测定了AlxGa1-xN外延膜样品中的Al元素物质的量分数。结果表明,发射波长为224.3nm的HeAg激光器能够激发AlxGa1-xN半导体材料产生发光现象。CASTEP软件模拟计算得到AlxGa1-xN的弯曲因子为1.01462±0.06772eV,认为其弯曲因子在1.0eV附近,由此可以理论计算得到具有Al组分梯度的一系列AlxGa1-xN外延膜样品中的Al元素物质的量分数。     

AlxGa1—xAs Solar Cell Grown by Multi—substrate Liquid Phase Epitaxy

A novel horizontal push-pull multi-substrate epitaxy boat with three separate cells is introduced in this article, with multi-substrate LPE processing is feasible in horizontal LPE furnace. The processes of LPE Alx Ga1-xAs/GaAs solar cells are studied and the efficiency of the solar cells achieved 19.8%(AM0,25℃,120mW/cm^2).     

AlxGa1-xAs/GaAs异质结中电子迁移率的压力效应

对Al_xGa_1-xAs/GaAs半导体单异质结系统,引入有限高势垒与考虑导带弯曲的真实势，同时计入电子对异质结势垒的隧穿，利用变分法和记忆函数方法讨论在界面光学声子和体纵光学声子的散射下，异质结界面附近电子迁移率随温度的变化关系及其压力效应.结果显示：电子迁移率随温度、压力的增加而减小；且两种声子的散射作用均随压力增强，界面光学声子的变化幅度更大.因此，在讨论压力的情形下，界面光学声子的作用不容忽略.     

Fabrication of high-performance AlxGa1-xAs/InyGa1-yAs/GaAs resonant tunneling diodes using amicrowave-compatible technology

A microwave-compatible process for fabricating planar integrated resonant tunneling diodes (RTDs) is described. High-performance RTDs have been fabricated using Al_xGa_1-xAs/In_y Ga_1-yAs/GaAs strained layers. Peak-to-valley current ratios (PVRs) of 4.8:1 with simultaneous peak current densities of 4×10⁴ A/cm² have been achieved at room temperature for diodes of area 9 μm². Accurate measurements of reflection gain versus frequency between 1.5 and 26.5 GHz in the negative differential region indicate that the present technology is promising for millimeter-wave integrated circuits including self-oscillating mixers, frequency multipliers, and detectors     

GaAs/AlxGa1-xAs superlattice waveguideabsorption modulators with very low drive voltage

The first GaAs/Al_xGa_1-xAs superlattice waveguide absorption modulators operating at ~860 nm that utilize the Wannier-Stark effect are reported. The n=-1 Stark ladder peak, which is the transition from the valence band well to the nearest neighbor conduction band well, is used. This peak shifts rapidly with applied electric field, resulting in drive voltages lower than can be achieved using the quantum-confined Stark effect for quantum-well waveguides of similar structure. For a 1000-μm-long waveguide at 867 nm, the authors obtain an extinction ratio of ~20 dB and a 4-dB attenuation with a drive voltage of 2 V     

一种肖特基势垒强型N-AlGaN基 MSM日盲紫外光电探测器

研制一种以薄的高阻AlGaN覆盖层作为肖特基势垒增强层的N?AlGaN基金属?半导体?金属（MSM）日盲紫外光电探测器。与无覆盖层的参考器件相比,覆盖高阻AlGaN层后探测器的暗电流大幅度减小。在5 V偏压下,覆盖高阻AlGaN层的光电探测器的暗电流为1.6 pA,响应度为22.5 mA/W,日盲紫外抑制比大于103,探测率为6.3×1010 cm·Hz1/2/W。     

An AlxGa1-xSb avalanche photodiode with again bandwidth product of 90 GHz

An Al_xGa_1-xSb avalanche photodiode (APD) with an Al composition of 0.05 has been fabricated and tested. The measured gain-bandwidth (GB) product of the highly doped diode is 90 GHz. Such a large GB product has never been previously achieved by any APD materials sensitive in the long-wavelength region. This suggests the advantage of the Al_xGa_1-xSb material system for very high-speed operation