Space Charge Free Photodiodes

Abstract

A new type of infrared detector is designed and experimentally demonstrated, which uses "unipolar barriers" in the detector's epitaxial structure to block dark currents, while passing photocurrent. Varieties of these new detectors include nBn detectors and unipolar barrier photodiodes. In comparison to conventional photodiodes, dark current suppression by at least six orders of magnitude is demonstrated in both nBn and unipolar barrier photodiodes. The concepts are demonstrated in lnAs-based materials, but are more generally applicable in other IR materials such as strained layer superlattice and HgCdTe.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 03, 2012
Accession Number
ADA563705

Entities

People

  • G. W. Wicks

Organizations

  • University of Rochester

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Defense Systems
  • Detectors
  • Electromagnetic Wave Detectors
  • Electronic Materials
  • Electrons
  • Energy Bands
  • Infrared Detectors
  • Materials
  • N Type Semiconductors
  • Optical Detectors
  • P-N Junctions
  • Photodetectors
  • Photodiodes
  • Semiconductor Devices
  • Semiconductors
  • Space Charge
  • Warning Systems

Fields of Study

  • Materials science

Readers

  • Semiconductor Device Technology

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy
  • Space