Self-assembled InAs/GaAs quantum dot infrared photodetectors (QDIPs) have been proved suitable candidates for infrared photodetectors due to their excellent carrier confinement, normal-incidence absorption, reduced electron– phonon scattering and long excited carrier lifetime. This study investigates the effect of ternary (InGaAs) capping on InAs/GaAs p-i-p QDIP grown on semi-insulating GaAs substrate using Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE). The performance of InAs/GaAs QDIP (device A) is compared with InAs/InGaAs/GaAs QDIP (device B), in which ternary (InGaAs) capping of 6nm thickness was introduced just above the InAs quantum dot layer. The room temperature photoluminescense peak was observed at a wavelength of 1139.7nm and 1310.1nm for sample A and B, respectively. The activation energy was calculated to be 222.93 and 142.325 meV for sample A and B, respectively. From fabricated single pixel detectors, the dark current densities measured for an applied bias of -0.5V at 13 K were 0.5mA/cm2 and 0.54A/cm2 for device A and B, respectively. Devices exhibited spectral response peaks around 1.93μm and 1.52 μm for device A and device B, respectively. The measured peak can be attributed to the transition between ground state of hole to split off band. At 175K, the peak responsivity calculated was 5.8 A/W for GaAs capped device (A) as compared to 0.55 A/W for InGaAs capped device (B). Highest operating temperature exhibited by GaAs capped device A was 200K. Since the observed dark current densities was higher in comparison with device A, the highest operating temperature observed for device B was limited to 175K.
Modulation doping or localization of carriers in the detector or solar cell structure is an interesting technique which has piqued the interest of researchers. In this study, we demonstrate the effect of modulation doping on InAs/GaAs p-i-p QDIP grown on semi-insulating GaAs substrate using MBE. The active region consists of 10 layers of 2.7 ML InAs quantum dots followed up with 60 nm GaAs capping layer. In the GaAs capping, a modulation p-doping of 3 nm was introduced at 7, 12 and 17 nm from the InAs dot layer thus forming sample A, B and C, respectively. The ground state emission peak at 19 K from photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy was measured at 1055.5, 1057.5 and 1062 nm for sample A, B and C respectively. Activation energies calculated from temperature dependent PL spectra were 157.57, 167.18 and 146.63 meV for the respective samples. The fabricated single pixel detectors exhibited spectral response peak from 1 to 3.5 μm in short wave infrared (SWIR) region for all the samples. The spectral response peaks observed were at 2.01 and 2.43 μm for device A, at 1.83 μm for device B and at 1.77 μm for device C. Highest operating temperature obtained from device A, B and C were 100K, 150K and 200K, respectively. The peak responsivities observed at 100K were 0.503, 0.154 and 0.33 A/W for the device A, B and C, respectively. Optimizing the position of localized carriers introduced in the active region can achieve the tunability in detection peak.
In this study, we demonstrate the device performance of modulation doped InAs/GaAs p-i-p QDIP (device A) and the effect of thin 1 nm quaternary (InAlGaAs) capping on the same heterostructure (device B). The ground state emission peak at 9 K from photoluminescence spectroscopy was measured at 1055.1 nm and 1046.4 nm for sample A and B, respectively. The measured dark current densities at 75 K for an applied bias of -1 V were 1.079 A/cm−2 and 0.038 A/cm−2 for device A and B, respectively. The fabricated single pixel detectors from device A exhibited emission peak in short wave infrared regime whereas whereas device B exhibited a multicolour spectral response from short wave (SWIR) to mid wave infrared (MWIR) region. The measured spectral peaks at low temperature were at 2 and 2.39 μm for device A and at 2.013, 2.49, 3.49 and 4.36 μm with a dominant peak in SWIR region for device B. Both the devices exhibited spectral response peak up to 75K with a responsivity of 0.832 A/W for device A compared to that of 0.545 A/W for device B at -2.5V bias. Tunability in detection peak with improvement in device performance was achieved by incorporating additional quaternary capping.
Quantum dots based infrared photodetectors (QDIPs) having intra-valence band transitions and holes as majority carriers have been explored in this work. Here, we are demonstrating the effect of modulation doping on p-i-p QDIP (InAs/GaAs) grown using molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). The active region of the detector consists of 10 layers of selfassembled InAs quantum dots (2.7 ML) capped with GaAs layers and embedded in between p-type (beryllium-doped) GaAs layers. The performance of InAs/GaAs p-i-p QDIP (device A) was compared with modulation doped InAs/GaAs QDIP (device B). In the case of device B, modulation doping with p-type GaAs was introduced after growing 7nm of GaAs capping. The ground state emission peak at 10 K from photoluminescence spectroscopy was measured at 1060.5 nm and 1055.5 nm with a thermal activation energy of 222.93 meV and 157.57 meV for sample A and B, respectively. The measured dark current density at 75 K was 0.448 and 1.012 A/cm2 at -1 V for device A and B, respectively. Spectral response peak in short wave infrared region (1.5 to 2.5 μm) were observed from both devices but in the case of device B, the spectral peaks were visible in mid wave infrared regime as well. At 75 K, the peak responsivity value measured was 35.11 A/W (at -1.5 V) and 0.333 A/W (at -1.5 V bias) for device A and B, respectively. High temperature of operation upto 200 K was observed from Device A whereas Device B exhibited response up to 125 K. Modulation doping close to the InAs quantum dots deteriorates the device performance.
A detailed analysis of dark current and noise dependence on capping thickness in vertically coupled quaternary (InAlGaAs) capped InAs/GaAs quantum dot infrared photodetectors is presented. We are investigating the effect of varying capping thickness on device performance with theoretical proposed model. 2.7 ML InAs dots were grown with a combination capping of quaternary InAlGaAs layer (30Å) and GaAs capping thickness varying from 90-180Å (coupled Device A-C) to 500Å (Uncoupled Device D). Photoluminescence (PL) measurement 8 K exhibited multimodal ground state emission peak for device A to C whereas single emission peak was observed from device D. The measured activation energies for dominant peaks using PL were 236.63 meV, 188.92 meV, 164.88 meV and 151.25 meV respectively. The theoretical model gave activation energies of 234.57 meV, 148 meV, 131.69 meV and 144.56 meV respectively, which are on par with experimental values. The theoretical model had two components: tunneling component and the thermionic component. The thermionic component has an exponential dependence on activation energy, electric field and fitting parameter β. Similarly, tunneling component was dependent on electric field and other fitting parameters. Minimum dark current density was observed in device B. Similar trends were observed for noise spectral density and photoconductive gain. For thin capped devices (A-C), maximum photocurrent with narrow spectral response peak around 7 μm was observed. Device A measured highest responsivity of 0.85 A/W while device B measured highest detectivity of 2.48 × 1010 Jones.
In this study, we report high temperature operation of infrared photodetector using p-i-p InAs/GaAs quantum dots. The ground state emission peak at 18 K from photoluminescence spectroscopy was measured at 986 nm. Single pixel detectors were fabricated and device characteristics like temperature dependent dark current, blackbody and spectral response were analyzed. The measured dark current density at 220 K with applied bias of 0.2 V was 2.48×10-3 A/cm2. The spectral response peak (2 μm) was observed in short wave-infrared (SWIR) region. We report an excellent SWIR detection characteristics at 220 K with a responsivity and specific detectivity of 3.81 A/W and 2.18×1010 cmHz1/2/W, respectively. The spectral response peak was achieved till 250 K and blackbody signal was observed till 270 K.
Access to the requested content is limited to institutions that have purchased or subscribe to SPIE eBooks.
You are receiving this notice because your organization may not have SPIE eBooks access.*
*Shibboleth/Open Athens users─please
sign in
to access your institution's subscriptions.
To obtain this item, you may purchase the complete book in print or electronic format on
SPIE.org.
INSTITUTIONAL Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.
PERSONAL Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.