Strain-induced current leakage in InSb photovoltaic detectors

Abstract

Gate-controlled diode devices have been used to study the influence of external strain on the current leakage of InSb p+/n photovoltaic infrared detectors. Equivalence between external strain and the gate electrode in their effect on the current-voltage (I-V) characteristic has been empirically confirmed. By introducing an explicit analytical relationship between the applied gate voltage and the induced charge-carrier density near the p+/n junction and using the technique of simultaneous measurement of the I-V characteristic under a gate voltage and suitable strain at LN2 temperature, the local induced surface and bulk charge-carrier densities equivalent to a given strain are obtained. A discussion of the location of the current leakage induced by the gate voltage or by strain in the piezoelectric-semiconductor device is given.