GaAs-based triangular barrier photodiodes with embedded type-II GaSb quantum dots

Abstract

We fabricate GaAs-based triangular barrier photodiodes (TBPs), in which type-II GaSb quantum dots (QDs) are embedded in the vertex part of their triangular barriers. Their current–voltage characteristics and photo-responses are studied at low temperatures to show that GaSb QDs enhance the number and lifetime of photo-generated holes that are trapped by QDs in the barrier, resulting in the increase in the electron current around positively charged QDs. An extremely high responsivity of 109 A/W is achieved.