Metal Nano-Grating Optimization for Higher Responsivity Plasmonic-Based GaAs Metal-Semiconductor-Metal Photodetector

Author

Karar, Abdullah ; Chee Leong Tan ; Alameh, Kamal ; Yong Tak Lee ; Karouta, F.

Author_Institution

Electron Sci. Res. Inst., Edith Cowan Univ., Joondalup, WA, Australia

Volume

31

Issue

7

fYear

2013

fDate

1-Apr-13

Firstpage

1088

Lastpage

1092

Abstract

To improve the responsivity of the metal semiconductor metal photodetector (MSM-PD), we propose and demonstrate the use of sub-wavelength slits in conjunction with nano-structured the metal fingers that enhance the light transmission through plasmonic effects. A 4-finger plasmonics-based GaAs MSM-PD structure is optimized geometrically using a 2-D Finite Difference Domain (FDTD) method and developed, leading to more than 7-times enhancement in photocurrent in comparison with the conventional MSM-PD of similar dimensions at a bias voltage as low as 0.3 V. This enhancement is attributed to the coupling of the surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) with the incident light through the nano-structured metal fingers. This work paves the way for the development of high-responsivity, high-sensitivity, low bias-voltage high-speed MSM-PDs and CMOS-compatible GaAs-based optoelectronic devices.

Keywords

III-V semiconductors; finite difference time-domain analysis; gallium arsenide; metal-semiconductor-metal structures; optimisation; photoconductivity; photodetectors; photoemission; plasmonics; polaritons; surface plasmons; 2D finite difference domain method; 4-finger plasmonics-based plasmonic-based GaAs metal-semiconductor-metal photodetector structure; CMOS-compatible GaAs-based optoelectronic devices; GaAs; bias voltage; high-responsivity metal-semiconductor-metal photodetector; high-sensitivity metal-semiconductor-metal photodetector; incident light; light transmission; low bias-voltage high-speed metal-semiconductor-metal photodetector; metal nanograting optimization; metal semiconductor metal photodetector responsivity; nanostructured metal fingers; photocurrent; plasmonic effects; subwavelength slits; surface plasmon polaritons; voltage 0.3 V; Educational institutions; Fingers; Gallium arsenide; Metals; Photodetectors; Photonics; Plasmons; FDTD methods; MSM-PD; nanophotonics; sub-wavelength aperture; surface plasmon polaritons;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Lightwave Technology, Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0733-8724

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/JLT.2013.2243108

Filename

6420854