Low-dark current structures for long-wavelength Type-II strained layer superlattice photodiodes

This paper describes our efforts on the development of low dark current long-wave infrared (LWIR) photodetectors based on type-II InAs/GaSb strained superlattices. By adopting a so-called pBiBn structure, a hybrid between the conventional PIN structure and unipolar barrier concepts, suppressed dark current and near-zero-bias operation are obtained, respectively. The LWIR photodetector has a dark current density as low as 1.42×10-5 A/cm2 at -60 mV, and R0A of 5365 Ωcm2 at 76 K. The measured peak detectivity at 10.2 µm of 8.7×1010 cmHz1/2W-1 is obtained at -60 mV at 76 K. To further improve the device performances, a newer design with longer cut-off wavelength targeted for near zero-bias was also realized. This 2-µm-thick device exhibits a quantum efficiency of 20% at 10 µm under zero-bias.