Title :
Hydrogen Redistribution and Performance Improvement of Silicon Avalanche Photodiode by Low-Temperature Annealing
Author :
Kawauchi, Taizo ; Yonemura, Hiroki ; Kishimoto, Shunji ; Fukutani, Katsuyuki
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Fundamental Eng., Univ. of Tokyo, Meguro, Japan
Abstract :
We report the performance improvement of the silicon avalanche photodiode (APD) for electron detection by annealing. It was found that the dark current is reduced and that the gain and energy resolution are improved by annealing at 500 K for 10 h. By means of the nuclear reaction analysis, the depth distribution of hydrogen in APD was measured before and after annealing. The hydrogen concentration in the near-surface region was significantly increased by annealing. We discuss that passivation of the impurity and/or defect levels by hydrogen atoms is a possible reason for the performance improvement of the photodiode.
Keywords :
annealing; avalanche photodiodes; dark conductivity; elemental semiconductors; hydrogen; passivation; silicon; dark current; defect levels; depth distribution; electron detection; energy resolution; hydrogen concentration; hydrogen redistribution; impurity levels; low temperature annealing; near surface region; nuclear reaction analysis; passivation; silicon avalanche photodiode; temperature 500 K; time 10 h; Annealing; Avalanche photodiodes; Dark current; Energy resolution; Hydrogen; Passivation; Silicon; Annealing; hydrogen; nuclear reaction analysis (NRA); passivation; silicon avalanche photodiode (APD);
Journal_Title :
Electron Device Letters, IEEE
DOI :
10.1109/LED.2012.2200451
