GaN-based Photodetectors Research Articles

High performance of UV photodetectors by integration of plasmonic Ag nanoparticles on GaN

High-performance ultraviolet photodetectors have attracted much attention due to their various potential applications from household to universal. On basis of this, in this work, a high – performance and photoresponse enhancement UV photodetector based on Ag NPs/GaN heterojunction was demonstrated. By incorporating of Ag nanoparticles, light confinement determined by Ag nanostructure offers an effective approach to break through the limitation of the light-mater interaction within the photoactive layers of photodetector. Various size and elemental composition of Ag NPs are fabricated on GaN lead to significant enhancement of photocurrent in UV photodetector. Consequently, an outstanding photoresponsivity of 89 A/W, external quantum efficiency of 2.8 × 103% at low bias voltage of 0.3 V were achieved. The improve photo-response of the Ag NPs-decorated GaN-based photodetector is attributed to the simultaneous effect of strong plasmon absorption, increased injection of hot electrons into the conduction band of GaN. This study will open up the direction to fabricate the high-performance UV photodetector.

15.26Gb/s Si-substrate GaN high-speed visible light photodetector with super-lattice structure.

In this paper, we studied a series of high-speed photodetectors (PD) with different super-lattice interlayer periods and the scale of the effective area to examine their communication performance. The mini-PDs are designed with a single 1 mm × 1 mm effective area. The mini-PDs have three different super-lattice (SL) periods in the interlayer: 8, 15, and 32. The micro-PD sample has multiple 50um by 50um photosensitive areas that form a 4 × 4 receiver array, which shares a common N electrode. Its SL period is 26. The experiment shows that mini-PDs have the advantages such as better tolerance to beam spot deviation, larger field of view (FoV), higher responsibility, and wider peak width in spectral response. But micro-LED samples outperform the others in communication capacity and wavelength selectivity. The 8, 15, and 32 SL mini-PD samples achieve 6.6, 7.3, and 8.8 Gb/s data rates, respectively. The micro-PD gains the maximum data rate of 14.38Gb/s without applying waveform level post-equalization, and 15.26Gb/s after using an NN-based post-equalizer. This experiment shows that with proper DSP, GaN-based PD would be suitable for high-speed VLC systems, especially for the short wavelength spectrum in visible light.

Highly-rectified hybrid p-MAPbBr3/n-GaN heterojunction ultraviolet photodetector featuring high-photoresponse

GaN-based photodetectors have demonstrated promising performance and find wide applications in ultraviolet sensing. In recent times, perovskite materials have also attracted significant attention due to their intriguing photoelectrical properties. In this study, we constructed a heterojunction photodetector by combining MAPbBr3 and GaN, and examined its detection capabilities. We conducted measurements of the current–voltage and current–time characteristics of the device. Our results showcased superior detection metrics, including a rectification ratio of 2.57 × 106 and a photo-to-dark current ratio of 1.52 × 105. Meanwhile, a responsivity of 1.02 A W−1, a detectivity of 4.81 × 1013 Jones and an external quantum efficiency of 346.8% under −5 V bias were achieved. Responsivity, detectivity and external quantum efficiency are significantly improved in the forward condition at the expense of low photo-to-dark current ratio and high dark current. The self-driven characteristics, non-linear photocurrent, and the persistent photoconductive effect observed in the photodetector were also discussed. Additionally, we provided guidance for further enhancements of the hybrid perovskite/GaN ultraviolet photodetector.

High Performance GaN-Based Ultraviolet Photodetector via Te/Metal Electrodes.

Photodetectors (PDs) based on two-dimensional (2D) materials have promising applications in modern electronics and optoelectronics. However, due to the intralayer recombination of the photogenerated carriers and the inevitable surface trapping stages of the constituent layers, the PDs based on 2D materials usually suffer from low responsivity and poor response speed. In this work, a distinguished GaN-based photodetector is constructed on a sapphire substrate with Te/metal electrodes. Due to the metal-like properties of tellurium, the band bending at the interface between Te and GaN generates an inherent electric field, which greatly reduces the carrier transport barrier and promotes the photoresponse of GaN. This Te-enhanced GaN-based PD show a promising responsivity of 4951 mA/W, detectivity of 1.79 × 1014 Jones, and an external quantum efficiency of 169%. In addition, owing to the collection efficiency of carriers by this Te-GaN interface, the response time is greatly decreased compared with pure GaN PDs. This high performance can be attributed to the fact that Te reduces the contact resistance of the metal electrode Au/Ti to GaN, forming an ohmic-like contact and promoting the photoresponse of GaN. This work greatly extends the application potential of GaN in the field of high-performance photodetectors and puts forward a new way of developing high performance photodetectors.

Liquid-Metal-Assisted Synthesis of Patterned GaN Thin Films for High-Performance UV Photodetectors Array.

GaN's outstanding physical characteristics allow for a wide range of applications in numerous industries. Although individual GaN-based ultraviolet (UV) photodetectors are the subject of in-depth research in recent decades, the demand for photodetectors array is rising as a result of advances in optoelectronic integration technology. However, as a prerequisite for constructing GaN-based photodetectors array, large-area, patterned synthesis of GaN thin films remains a certain challenge. This work presents a facile technique for pattern growing high-quality GaN thin films for the assembly of an array of high-performance UV photodetectors. This technique uses UV lithography, which is not only very compatible with common semiconductor manufacturing techniques, but also enables precise patterning modification. A typical detector has impressive photo-response performance under 365nm irradiation, with an extremely low dark current of 40 pA, a high Ilight /Idark ratio over 105 , a high responsivity of 4.23 AW-1 , and a decent specific detectivity of 1.76 × 1012 Jones. Additional optoelectronic studies demonstrate the strong homogeneity and repeatability of the photodetectors array, enabling it to serve as a reliable UV image sensor with enough spatial resolution. These outcomes highlight the proposed patterning technique's enormous potential.

High-Sensitivity and Fast-Speed UV Photodetectors Based on Asymmetric Nanoporous-GaN/Graphene Vertical Junction.

GaN-based photodetectors are strongly desirable in many advanced fields, such as space communication, environmental monitoring, etc. However, the slow photo-response speed in currently reported high-sensitivity GaN-based photodetectors still hinders their applications. Here, we demonstrate a high-sensitivity and fast-speed UV photodetector based on asymmetric Au/nanoporous-GaN/graphene vertical junctions. The nanoporous GaN-based vertical photodetector shows an excellent rectification ratio up to ∼105 at +4 V/-4 V. The photo-responsivity and specific detectivity of the device is up to 1.01 × 104 A/W and 7.84 × 1014 Jones, respectively, more than three orders of magnitude higher than the control planar photodetector. With switching light on and off, the repeatable on/off current ratio of the nanoporous GaN-based vertical photodetector is ∼4.32 × 103, which is about 1.51 × 103 times to that of the control planar device. The measured rise/decay time is 12.2 μs/14.6 μs, which is the fastest value for the high-sensitivity GaN-based photodetectors to date. These results suggest that the asymmetric Au/nanoporous-GaN/graphene structure can improve the sensitivity and the photo-response speed of GaN-based PDs simultaneously.

Photocurrent Polarity Switching and Enhanced Photoresponse in Silver Nanoparticles Decorated a-GaN-Based Photodetector

The photodetection properties of a-GaN nanorods-based photodetector and the effect of decorating silver nanoparticles are reported. For the pristine a-GaN detector, a surprising phenomenon of negative photoconductivity is observed, explained on the basis of defect states present in GaN nanorods. After the introduction of nanoparticles, the device exhibits reversal in the photocurrent polarity. The photoresponsivity reverses its sign from −0.12 A/W (bare a-GaN) to +6.75 A/W, with the introduction of nanoparticles (wavelength: 355 nm, 4.9 V bias). This current reversal and enhanced performance have been rationalized by considering passivation of surface defect states, resulting into significantly reduced dark current in the hybrid detector.

Unidirectional emission of GaN-on-Si microring laser and its on-chip integration

Abstract GaN-based microring lasers grown on Si are promising candidates for compact and efficient light sources in Si-based optoelectronic integration and optical interconnect due to their small footprints, low mode volume, low power consumption, and high modulation rate. However, the high symmetry of circular microcavity leads to isotropic emission, which not only reduces the light collection efficiency, but also affects other adjacent devices during data transmission. In this study, the unidirectional lasing emission of room-temperature current-injected GaN-based microring laser was realized by coating metal Ag on the microring sidewall and integrating a direct coupled waveguide. The light was efficaciously confined in the cavity and only emitted from the waveguide, which avoided optical signal crosstalk with other adjacent devices. Furthermore, we integrated a microdisk at the other end of the waveguide as a photodetector, which could effectively detect the output power of the microring laser from the direct coupled waveguide. Therefore, a preliminary on-chip integration of GaN-based microring laser, waveguide and photodetector on Si substrate was successfully demonstrated for the first time, opening up a new way for on-chip integration and optical interconnect on a GaN-on-Si platform.

Non-Polar Gallium Nitride for Photodetection Applications: A Systematic Review

Ultraviolet photodetectors have been widely utilized in several applications, such as advanced communication, ozone sensing, air purification, flame detection, etc. Gallium nitride and its compound semiconductors have been promising candidates in photodetection applications. Unlike polar gallium nitride-based optoelectronics, non-polar gallium nitride-based optoelectronics have gained huge attention due to the piezoelectric and spontaneous polarization effect–induced quantum confined-stark effect being eliminated. In turn, non-polar gallium nitride-based photodetectors portray higher efficiency and faster response compared to the polar growth direction. To date, however, a systematic literature review of non-polar gallium nitride-based photodetectors has yet to be demonstrated. Hence, the objective of this systematic literature review is to critically analyze the data related to non-polar gallium nitride-based photodetectors. Based on the pool of literature, three categories are introduced, namely, growth and fabrication, electrical properties, and structural, morphological, and optical properties. In addition, bibliometric analysis, a precise open-source tool, was used to conduct a comprehensive science mapping analysis of non-polar gallium nitride-based photodetectors. Finally, challenges, motivations, and future opportunities of non-polar gallium nitride-based photodetectors are presented. The future opportunities of non-polar GaN-based photodetectors in terms of growth conditions, fabrication, and characterization are also presented. This systematic literature review can provide initial reading material for researchers and industries working on non-polar gallium nitride-based photodetectors.

Schottky-type GaN-based UV photodetector with atomic-layer-deposited TiN thin film as electrodes.

In this work, a GaN-based UV photodetector with an asymmetric electrode structure was fabricated by atomic layer deposition (ALD) of TiN layers. The thickness of the TiN can be monitored in situ by a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and precisely controlled through the modulation of deposition cycles. During the ALD process, periodic variation in the QCM frequency was observed and correlated to the physical adsorption, chemical bonding, and the excessive precursor exhaust, which included tetrakis(dimethylamino)titanium (TDMAT) and N sources. The asymmetric TiN/GaN/TiN photodetector showed excellent photosensing performance, with a UV-visible rejection ratio of 173, a responsivity of 4.25 A/W, a detectivity of 1.1×1013 Jones, and fast response speeds (a rise time of 69 μs and a decay time of 560 μs). Moreover, the device exhibits high stability, with an attenuation of only approximately 0.5% after 360 nm light irradiation for 157 min. This result indicates the potential of TiN as a transparent contact electrode for GaN-based optoelectronic devices.

Numerical investigations into polarization-induced self-powered GaN-based MSM photodetectors.

Traditional GaN-based metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) photodetector (PD) features a symmetric structure, and thus a poor lateral carrier transport can be encountered, which can decrease the photocurrent and responsivity. To improve its photoelectric performance, we propose GaN-based MSM photodetectors with an AlGaN polarization layer structure on the GaN absorption layer. By using the AlGaN polarization layer, the electric field in the metal/GaN Schottky junction can be replaced by the electric fields in the metal/AlGaN Schottky junction and the AlGaN/GaN heterojunction. The increased polarization electric field can enhance the transport for the photogenerated carriers. More importantly, such polarization electric field cannot be easily screened by free carriers, thus showing the detectability for the even stronger illumination intensity. Moreover, we also conduct in-depth parametric investigations into the impact of different designs on the photocurrent and the responsivity. Hence, device physics regarding such proposed MSM PDs has been summarized.

Improvement of Porous GaN-Based UV Photodetector with Graphene Cladding

This work presents the role of graphene in improving the performance of a porous GaN-based UV photodetector. The porous GaN-based photodetector, with a mean pore diameter of 35 nm, possessed higher UV sensitivity, about 95% better compared to that of the as-received (non-porous) photodetector. In addition, it exhibits a lower magnitude of leakage current at dark ambient, about 70.9 μA, compared to that of the as-received photodetector with 13.7 mA. However, it is also highly resistive in nature due to the corresponding electrochemical process selectively dissolute doped regions. Herein, two types of graphene, derived from CVD and the electrochemical exfoliation (EC) process, were cladded onto the porous GaN region. The formation of a graphene/porous GaN interface, as evident from the decrease in average distance between defects as determined from Raman spectroscopy, infers better charge accumulation and conductance, which significantly improved UV sensing. While the leakage current shows little improvement, the UV sensitivity was greatly enhanced, by about 460% and 420% for CVD and EC cladded samples. The slight difference between types of graphene was attributed to the coverage area on porous GaN, where CVD-grown graphene tends to be continuous while EC-graphene relies on aggregation to form films.

High performance conical nanostructured GaN-based photodetectors

Here, we report on a new type of conical nanostructured GaN (CNG), and the corresponding high performance GaN-based metal–semiconductor–metal (MSM) photodetectors (PDs). Compared with the control planar GaN-based MSM PDs, the photocurrent increases by ∼600 times at 0.4 V. The responsivity of the CNG-based PDs can reach ∼2 × 104 A W−1 at 4 V, increased by ∼2000 times compared to the planar GaN-based PDs. The specific detectivity of the CNG-based PDs reaches the maximum at 1 V, ∼1014 Jones, which is more than 800 times to that of the planar GaN-based PDs. Our work paves the way to develop high-performance GaN-based PDs using a new nanostructure for detecting weak optical signals.

High-Temperature Analysis of GaN-Based MQW Photodetector for Optical Galvanic Isolations in High-Density Integrated Power Modules

The indium-gallium nitride (InGaN)/gallium nitride (GaN) multiple quantum well (MQW) structure is demonstrated as a possible solution for high-temperature photodiode applications. High-temperature spectral and noise analysis of InGaN/GaN MQW structure is performed for the potential integration as a detector in future power electronics applications. The spectral response was measured under photovoltaic and bias modes for the temperature range of 77-800 K. A peak spectral responsivity of 27.0 mA/W at 440 nm at 500 K is recorded. The peak external quantum efficiency of the device was calculated to be in the range of 5-8% in the temperature range 77-800 K. The photodetector sensitivity of the structure is quantified using the material figure of merit parameter, D <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">+</sup> for different temperature and biased voltages. A peak detectivity of 4 ×108 cm Hz <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">1</sup> /2W <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">-1</sup> is observed at 800 K with zero bias at 440 nm.

Polarization assisted self-powered GaN-based UV photodetector with high responsivity

In this work, a self-powered GaN-based metal-semiconductor-metal photodetector (MSM PD) with high responsivity has been proposed and fabricated. The proposed MSM PD forms an asymmetric feature by using the polarization effect under one electrode, such that we adopt an AlGaN/GaN heterojunction to produce the electric field, and by doing so, an asymmetric energy band between the two electrodes can be obtained even when the device is unbiased. The asymmetric feature is proven by generating the asymmetric current-voltage characteristics both in the dark and the illumination conditions. Our results show that the asymmetric energy band enables the self-powered PD, and the peak responsivity wavelength is 240 nm with the responsivity of 0.005 A/W. Moreover, a high responsivity of 13.56 A/W at the applied bias of 3 V is also achieved. Thanks to the very strong electric field in the charge transport region, when compared to the symmetric MSM PD, the proposed MSM PD can reach an increased photocurrent of 100 times larger than that for the conventional PD, even if the illumination intensity for the light source becomes increased.

Correlation of donor-acceptor pair emission on the performance of GaN-based UV photodetector

High responsivity UV photodetector has been realized by fabricating single crystalline epitaxial GaN-based devices grown on silicon substrate by using molecular beam epitaxy system. The influence of trap states existing within the forbidden gap on GaN-based optoelectronic devices has been investigated. The quality and performance of the fabricated GaN based UV photodetector with distinct AlN buffer layer grown at low and high substrate temperature are substantiated. A detailed analysis reveals that high temperature buffer can yield improved crystalline quality of GaN with similar morphological properties as compared to buffer layer grown at low temperature. However, the distinct buffer layer influence the optical properties as the photoluminescence analysis explains that both the films possess superior band-to-band edge emission where GaN grown with high temperature AlN buffer consists of dominant acceptor defect states in comparison to GaN with low temperature AlN buffer layer. The existence of acceptor states has been accredited by the presence of Ga vacancy related states in the band gap. The fabricated devices yield high photoresponsivity of 2.1 and 1.5 A/W at 1 V from GaN films bearing low and high accepter defect states which explain a clear correlation of device performance with trap states within the band-gap region.

Giant UV Photoresponse of GaN-Based Photodetectors by Surface Modification Using Phenol-Functionalized Porphyrin Organic Molecules.

Organic molecular monolayers (MoLs) have been used for improving the performance of various electronic device structures. In this work, the concept of organic molecular surface modification is applied for improving the performance of GaN-based metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) ultraviolet (UV) photodetectors (PDs). Organic molecules of phenol-functionalized metallated porphyrin (hydroxyl-phenyl-zinc-tetra-phenyl-porphyrin (Zn-TPPOH)) were adsorbed on GaN, and Ni/Zn-TPPOH/GaN/Zn-TPPOH/Ni PD structures were fabricated. This process was beneficial in two ways: first, the reverse-bias dark current was reduced by 1000 times, and second, the photocurrent was enhanced by ∼100 times, in comparison to the dark and photocurrent values obtained for Ni/GaN/Ni MSM PDs, at high voltages of ±10 V. The responsivity of the devices was increased from 0.22 to 4.14 kA/W at 5 μW/cm2 optical power density at -10 V bias and at other voltages also. In addition to this, other PD parameters such as photo-to-dark current ratio and UV-to-visible rejection ratio were also enhanced. The spectral selectivity of the PDs was improved, which means that the molecularly modified devices became more responsive to UV spectral region and less responsive to visible spectral region, in comparison to bare GaN-based devices. Photoluminescence measurements, power-dependent photocurrent characteristics, and time-resolved photocurrent measurements revealed that the MoL was passivating the defect-related states on GaN. In addition, Kelvin probe force microscopy showed that the MoL was also playing with the surface charge (due to surface states) on GaN, leading to increased Schottky barrier height in dark conditions. Resultant to both these phenomena, the reverse-bias dark current was reduced for metal/MoL/GaN/MoL/metal PD structures. Further, the unusual photoconductive gain in the molecularly modified devices has been attributed to Schottky barrier lowering for UV-illuminated conditions, leading to enhanced photocurrent.

On-Chip Integration of GaN-Based Laser, Modulator, and Photodetector Grown on Si

A preliminary on-chip integration of GaN-based laser, modulator, and photodetector grown on Si is reported. The modulator is integrated into the laser and shares the same InGaN quantum well active region with the laser and the photodetector. By varying the applied voltage to the modulator, the absorption of the modulator can be adjusted due to the changed band bending of the InGaN quantum well active region, and hence the threshold current and the light output power of the laser can be tuned. The photodetector can effectively detect the output power of the laser tuned by the applied voltage to the modulator, which opens up a new way for GaN-based on-chip photonic integration on Si.

Wafer-scale synthesis of a uniform film of few-layer MoS2 on GaN for 2D heterojunction ultraviolet photodetector

Layered transition metal dichalcogenide materials grown over a conventional 3D semiconductor substrate have ignited a spark of interest in the electronics industry. The integration of these 2D layered materials extensively addresses the formidable challenges faced by a new generation of opto-electronic and photovoltaic devices. Herein, we have demonstrated a 2D/3D heterojunction type photodetector by depositing MoS2 on a GaN substrate with a mass-scalable sputtering method. Spectroscopic and microscopic characterizations expose the signature of the highly crystalline, homogeneous and controlled growth of a deposited few-layer MoS2 film. The greater light absorption of few-layer MoS2 results in the high performance of the MoS2/GaN photodetector. Our device shows high external spectral responsivity (~103 A W−1) and detectivity (~1011 Jones) with a very fast response time (~5 ms). Our obtained results are significantly better than previous MoS2- and GaN-based photodetectors. This work unveils a new perspective in MoS2/GaN heterojunctions for high-performance optoelectronic applications.

Study of monolithic integrated solar blind GaN-based photodetectors

Monolithic integrated solar blind devices on the GaN-based epilayer, which can directly readout voltage signal, were fabricated and studied. Unlike conventional GaN-based photodiodes, the integrated devices can finish those steps: generation, accumulation of carriers and conversion of carriers to voltage. In the test process, the resetting voltage was square wave with the frequency of 15 and 110 Hz, its maximal voltage of ∼2.5 V. Under LEDs illumination, the maximum of voltage swing is about 2.5 V, and the rise time of voltage swing from 0 to 2.5 V is only about 1.6 ms. However, in dark condition, the node voltage between detector and capacitance nearly decline to zero with time when the resetting voltage was equal to zero. It is found that the leakage current in the circuit gives rise to discharge of the integrated charge. Storage mode operation can offer gain, which is advantage to detection of weak photo signal.