Theoretical Aspects of Minority Carrier Extraction in Unipolar Barrier Infrared Detectors

Abstract

We have examined, theoretically, minority carrier collection in unipolar barrier infrared photodetectors. In barrier infrared detectors, for example the nBn, the unipolar barrier should block only majority carriers and allow unimpeded flow of minority carriers. However, an imperfect barrier would also block minority carriers, resulting in higher than expected turn-on bias. Minority carrier blocking can be caused by barrier doping or unintended band offset between the barrier and the absorber. The distinct manner in which these two mechanisms affect device performance were investigated. We found that introduction of an appropriate amount of barrier doping can reduce depletion dark current without increasing turn-on bias. We examined the effects of band structure on conductivity effective masses when the n-type absorber was a type-II superlattice (T2SL). We showed that for a long-wavelength infrared InAs/GaSb T2SL the vertical conductivity hole effective mass can be much smaller than that predicted by the simple band-edge effect mass picture, implying that the vertical hole mobility estimated from the band-edge effective mass can be unduly pessimistic.