Fabrication and Characterization of Planar-Type Top-Illuminated InP-Based Avalanche Photodetector on Conductive Substrate with Operating Speeds Exceeding 10 Gbps

Abstract

This paper presents a high-speed top-illuminated InP-based avalanche photodetector (APD) fabricated on conductive InP-wafer using planar processes. The proposed device was then evaluated in terms of DC and dynamic performance characteristics. The design is based on a separate absorption, grading, charge, and multiplication (SAGCM) epitaxial-structure. An electric field-profile of the SAGCM layers was derived from the epitaxial structure. The punch-through voltage of the SAGCM APD was controlled to within 16–17 V, whereas the breakdown voltage (VBR) was controlled to within 28–29 V. We obtained dark current of 2.99 nA, capacitance of 0.226 pF, and multiplication gain of 12, when the APD was biased at 0.9 VBR at room temperature. The frequency-response was characterized by comparing the calculated 3-dB cut-off modulation-frequency (f3-dB) and f3-dB values measured under various multiplication gains and modulated incident powers. The time-response of the APD was evaluated by deriving eye-diagrams at 0.9 VBR using pseudorandom non-return to zero codes with a length of 231-1 at 10–12.5 Gbps. There was a notable absence of intersymbol-interference, and the signals remained error-free at data-rates of up to 12.5 Gbps. The correlation between the rise-time and modulated-bandwidth demonstrate the suitability of the proposed SAGCM-APD chip for applications involving an optical-receiver at data-rates of >10 Gbps.

The Fabrication and Characterization of InAlAs/InGaAs APDs Based on a Mesa-Structure with Polyimide Passivation

“…Figure 5 presents the breakdown voltage of InP-based [29] and InAlAs-based APDs (current work) as a function of operating temperature. Generally, the bias of an APD is controlled with the aim of preserving the gain of the device despite fluctuations in temperature.…”

“…Thus, the knowledge of how avalanche breakdown voltage changes with temperature could be useful. As shown in Figure 5, the breakdown voltage temperature coefficient (ΔV BR /ΔT) of InP-based and InAlAs-based APDs were 0.105 V/°C [29] and 0.028 V/°C, respectively. These results demonstrate that the InAlAs-based APD was less sensitive than the InP-based APD to variations in temperature.…”

“…Breakdown voltage of InP-based [29] and InAlAs-based APD (current work) as a function of temperature.…”

Next-Generation Electronics and Sensing Technology

“…The studies [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ] propose next-generation sensing devices. In [ 1 ], Chen et al designed a steep switching of In 0.18 Al 0.82 N/AlN/GaN MIS-HEMT (Metal Insulator Semiconductor High Electron Mobility Transistors) on Si for sensor applications [ 1 ].…”

“…Liu et al presented the fabrication and characterization of a planar-type top-illuminated InP-based avalanche photodetector on a conductive substrate with operating speeds exceeding 10 Gbps [ 2 ]. The design is based on a separate absorption, grading, charge, and multiplication (SAGCM) epitaxial structure [ 2 ]. An electric field profile of the SAGCM layers was derived from the epitaxial structure [ 2 ].…”