Impact of local-negative-feedback on the MRS avalanche photodetector operation

Author

Zappa, Franco ; Lacaita, Andrea L. ; Samori, Carlo

Author_Institution

Dipt. di Elettronica e Inf., Politecnico di Milano, Italy

Volume

45

Issue

1

fYear

1998

fDate

1/1/1998 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

91

Lastpage

97

Abstract

Metal-Resistance-Semiconductor (MRS) photodetectors are characterized by a resistive layer placed in series to an avalanching region. In this paper, we report the characterization of such devices, we define a parameter extraction procedure, and we derive a quantitative model of the MRS operation. Due to the presence of the ohmic layer, the detector works as an ensemble of pixels with separately stabilized operating bias. In this way, compared to avalanche photodiodes (APDs), MRS achieve superior gain uniformity with the same sensitive area. However, there are still aspects of the fabrication technology and of the detector structure which have to be improved

Keywords

avalanche breakdown; feedback; infrared detectors; photodetectors; semiconductor device models; semiconductor device noise; sensitivity; IR detector; MRS operation; avalanche photodetector operation; avalanching region; characterization; fabrication technology; gain uniformity; local-negative-feedback; metal-resistance-semiconductor photodetectors; model; near-infrared detector; ohmic layer; parameter extraction procedure; resistive layer; Avalanche photodiodes; Detectors; Electronic ballasts; Fabrication; Parameter extraction; Particle tracking; Photodetectors; Resistors; Semiconductor device reliability; Voltage;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Electron Devices, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9383

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/16.658816

Filename

658816