MBE growth of nitride-based photovoltaic intersubband detectors

In this work, we present the plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxial growth of quantum well infrared photodetector (QWIP) structures, including the Si-doped GaN/AlN short-period superlattice of the active region, conductive AlGaN claddings and integration of the final device. The growth of Si-doped GaN/AlN multiple quantum well (QW) structures is optimized by controlling substrate temperature, metal excess and growth interruptions. Structural characterization confirms a reduction of the interface roughness to the monolayer scale. P-polarized intersubband absorption peaks covering the 1.33–1.91 μm wavelength range are measured on samples with QW thickness varying from 1 to 2.5 nm. The absorption exhibits Lorentzian shape with a line width around 100 meV in QWs doped 5×10¹⁹ cm⁻³. To prevent partial depletion of the QWs owing to the internal electric field, we have developed highly-conductive Si-doped AlGaN cladding layers using In as a surfactant during growth. Complete ISB photodetectors with 40 periods of 1 nm-thick Si-doped GaN QWs with 2 nm-thick AlN barriers have been grown on conductive AlGaN claddings, the Al mole fraction of the cladding matching the average Al content of the active region. Temperature-dependent photovoltage measurements reveal a narrow (90 meV) detection peak at 1.39 μm.     

MODIFICATION OF ABSORPTION SPECTRUM OF GaAs/AIGaAs QUANTUM WELL INFRARED PHOTODETECTOR BY POSTGROWTH ADJUSTMENT

Quantum well intermixing techniques modify the geometric shape of quantum wells to allow postgrowth adjustments. The tuning effect on the optical response property of a GaAs/AlGaAs quantum well infrared photodetector (QWIP) induced by the interdifussion of Al atoms was studied theoretically. By assuming an improvement of the heterointerface quality and an enhanced Al interdiffusion caused by postgrowth intermixings, the photoluminescence spectrum shows a blueshifted, narrower and enhanced photoluminescence peak. The infrared optical absorption spectrum also shows the expected redshift of the response wavelength. However, the variation in the absorption peak intensity depends on the boundary conditions of the photo generated carriers. For high-quality QWIP samples, the mean free path of photocarriers is long so that the photocarriers are largely coherent when they transport across quantum wells. In this case, the enhanced Al interdiffusion can significantly degrade the infrared absorption property of the QWIP. Special effects are therefore neededto maintain and/or improve the optical properties of the QWIP device during postgrowth treatments.