Analytic time domain characterization of p-i-n photodiodes: Effects of drift, diffusion, recombination, and absorption

Abstract

An analytic impulse response function of high-speed p-i-n photodiodes is given in direct time domain, incorporating the effects of drift, diffusion, recombination, and absorption. In the limit of no carrier diffusion and large excess carrier lifetime, the result reduces to the well-known theory of Lucovsky et al. [J. Appl. Phys. 35, 622 (1964)]. In this analysis the output photocurrent is obtained in terms of photogenerated carrier concentrations from the energy balance consideration. The excess carrier transport is described by a Green’s function method. Additionally the internal electric field is explicitly examined. The present formulation is a generalization of Yariv’s one-carrier-current model which ascribes the externally detected current to the time-varying induced charge on the electrodes.