Design and modeling of high-performance mid-wave infrared InAsSb-based nBn photodetector using barrier band engineering approaches

Abstract

We report a new nBn photodetector (nBn-PD) design based on the InAlSb/AlSb/InAlSb/InAsSb material systems for mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR) applications. In this structure, delta-doped compositionally graded barrier (δ-DCGB) layers are suggested, the advantage of which is creation of a near zero valence band offset in nBn photodetectors. The design of the δ-DCGB nBn-PD device includes a 3 μm absorber layer (n-InAs_0.81Sb_0.19), a unipolar barrier layer (AlSb), and 0.2 μm contact layer (n-InAs_0.81Sb_0.19) as well as a 0.116 μm linear grading region (InAlSb) from the contact to the barrier layer and also from the barrier to the absorber layer. The analysis includes various dark current contributions, such as the Shockley–Read–Hall (SRH), trap-assisted tunneling (TAT), Auger, and Radiative recombination mechanisms, to acquire more precise results. Consequently, we show that the method used in the nBn device design leads to diffusion-limited dark current so that the dark current density is 2.596 × 10^-8 A/cm² at 150 K and a bias voltage of - 0.2 V. The proposed nBn detector exhibits a 50% cutoff wavelength of more than 5 μm, the peak current responsivity is 1.6 A/W at a wavelength of 4.5 μm and a - 0.2 V bias with 0.05 W/cm² backside illumination without anti-reflective coating. The maximum quantum efficiency at 4.5 μm is about 48.6%, and peak specific detectivity (D^*) is of 3.37 × 10¹⁰ cm·Hz^1/2/W. Next, to solve the reflection concern in this nBn devices, we use a BaF₂ anti-reflection coating layer due to its high transmittance in the MWIR window. It leads to an increase of almost 100% in the optical response metrics, such as the current responsivity, quantum efficiency, and detectivity, compared to the optical response without an anti-reflection coating layer.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

Mid-wave infrared detectors / III-V compound semiconductors / Grading material systems / nBn architecture

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