Fine Control of the Electric Field Distribution in the Heterostructure Multiplication Region of AlGaN Avalanche Photodiodes

To enhance avalanche ionization, we designed a new separate absorption and multiplication AlGaN solar-blind avalanche photodiode (APD) by replacing the conventional AlGaN homogeneous multiplication region with a high/low Al content AlGaN heterostructure layer. The calculated results showe...

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Main Authors: Haifan You, Zhenguang Shao, Yiran Wang, Liqun Hu, Dunjun Chen, Hai Lu, Rong Zhang, Youdou Zheng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IEEE 2017-01-01
Series:IEEE Photonics Journal
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Online Access:https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7894223/
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author Haifan You
Zhenguang Shao
Yiran Wang
Liqun Hu
Dunjun Chen
Hai Lu
Rong Zhang
Youdou Zheng
author_facet Haifan You
Zhenguang Shao
Yiran Wang
Liqun Hu
Dunjun Chen
Hai Lu
Rong Zhang
Youdou Zheng
author_sort Haifan You
collection DOAJ
description To enhance avalanche ionization, we designed a new separate absorption and multiplication AlGaN solar-blind avalanche photodiode (APD) by replacing the conventional AlGaN homogeneous multiplication region with a high&#x002F;low Al content AlGaN heterostructure layer. The calculated results showed that the improved APD with the Al<sub>0.3</sub> Ga<sub>0.7</sub>N&#x002F;Al<sub>0.45</sub>Ga<sub>0.55</sub>N heterogeneous multiplication region exhibits 51&#x0025; higher gain than that of the conventional APD, benefiting from the six times higher hole ionization coefficient of Al <sub>0.3</sub>Ga<sub>0.7</sub>N, compared to that of Al<sub>0.45</sub>Ga<sub>0.55</sub>N. Furthermore, we inserted an intermediate n-type AlGaN charge layer into the heterogeneous multiplication region to obtain superior performance by finely controlling the electric field distribution. The dependence of breakdown voltage and multiplication gain on the Al content, doping concentration, and thickness of the charge layer is studied in detail to get the optimal structure. Meanwhile, the solar-blind characteristic is also taken into account when optimizing the APD structure.
format Article
id doaj-art-74fb56ef941b48a095f055a209d1ae03
institution Kabale University
issn 1943-0655
language English
publishDate 2017-01-01
publisher IEEE
record_format Article
series IEEE Photonics Journal
spelling doaj-art-74fb56ef941b48a095f055a209d1ae032025-08-20T03:31:20ZengIEEEIEEE Photonics Journal1943-06552017-01-01931710.1109/JPHOT.2017.26915557894223Fine Control of the Electric Field Distribution in the Heterostructure Multiplication Region of AlGaN Avalanche PhotodiodesHaifan You0Zhenguang Shao1Yiran Wang2Liqun Hu3Dunjun Chen4Hai Lu5Rong Zhang6Youdou Zheng7Key Laboratory of Advanced Photonic and Electronic Materials, School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing, ChinaCollege of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Changshu Institute of Technology, Changshu, ChinaKey Laboratory of Advanced Photonic and Electronic Materials, School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing, ChinaKey Laboratory of Advanced Photonic and Electronic Materials, School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing, ChinaKey Laboratory of Advanced Photonic and Electronic Materials, School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing, ChinaKey Laboratory of Advanced Photonic and Electronic Materials, School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing, ChinaKey Laboratory of Advanced Photonic and Electronic Materials, School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing, ChinaKey Laboratory of Advanced Photonic and Electronic Materials, School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing, ChinaTo enhance avalanche ionization, we designed a new separate absorption and multiplication AlGaN solar-blind avalanche photodiode (APD) by replacing the conventional AlGaN homogeneous multiplication region with a high&#x002F;low Al content AlGaN heterostructure layer. The calculated results showed that the improved APD with the Al<sub>0.3</sub> Ga<sub>0.7</sub>N&#x002F;Al<sub>0.45</sub>Ga<sub>0.55</sub>N heterogeneous multiplication region exhibits 51&#x0025; higher gain than that of the conventional APD, benefiting from the six times higher hole ionization coefficient of Al <sub>0.3</sub>Ga<sub>0.7</sub>N, compared to that of Al<sub>0.45</sub>Ga<sub>0.55</sub>N. Furthermore, we inserted an intermediate n-type AlGaN charge layer into the heterogeneous multiplication region to obtain superior performance by finely controlling the electric field distribution. The dependence of breakdown voltage and multiplication gain on the Al content, doping concentration, and thickness of the charge layer is studied in detail to get the optimal structure. Meanwhile, the solar-blind characteristic is also taken into account when optimizing the APD structure.https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7894223/AlGaNavalanche photodiodes (APDs)heterostructurefine control.
spellingShingle Haifan You
Zhenguang Shao
Yiran Wang
Liqun Hu
Dunjun Chen
Hai Lu
Rong Zhang
Youdou Zheng
Fine Control of the Electric Field Distribution in the Heterostructure Multiplication Region of AlGaN Avalanche Photodiodes
IEEE Photonics Journal
AlGaN
avalanche photodiodes (APDs)
heterostructure
fine control.
title Fine Control of the Electric Field Distribution in the Heterostructure Multiplication Region of AlGaN Avalanche Photodiodes
title_full Fine Control of the Electric Field Distribution in the Heterostructure Multiplication Region of AlGaN Avalanche Photodiodes
title_fullStr Fine Control of the Electric Field Distribution in the Heterostructure Multiplication Region of AlGaN Avalanche Photodiodes
title_full_unstemmed Fine Control of the Electric Field Distribution in the Heterostructure Multiplication Region of AlGaN Avalanche Photodiodes
title_short Fine Control of the Electric Field Distribution in the Heterostructure Multiplication Region of AlGaN Avalanche Photodiodes
title_sort fine control of the electric field distribution in the heterostructure multiplication region of algan avalanche photodiodes
topic AlGaN
avalanche photodiodes (APDs)
heterostructure
fine control.
url https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7894223/
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