학술논문

Exploring Optimal Dark Current Design in HgCdTe Infrared Barrier Detectors: A TCAD and Semianalytic Investigation
Document Type
Periodical
Source
IEEE Photonics Journal IEEE Photonics J. Photonics Journal, IEEE. 16(1):1-8 Feb, 2024
Subject
Engineered Materials, Dielectrics and Plasmas
Photonics and Electrooptics
Dark current
Doping
Photodetectors
Mercury (metals)
Semiconductor process modeling
Semiconductor materials
Cadmium compounds
Modeling
photodetectors
semiconductor materials
theory and design
Language
ISSN
1943-0655
1943-0647
Abstract
The dark current is a fundamental figure of merit to characterize the performance of high-sensitivity, low-noise mid- and far-infrared barrier photodetectors. In the context of HgCdTe barrier photodetectors, the trend is to use very low doping concentrations, in an attempt to minimize recombination processes. In the present work, through TCAD simulations, we delve deeper into the design of low-dark-current $p{\mathrm{B}}n$ detectors, showing the possible existence of an optimum doping. This occurrence is investigated and interpreted also by means of closed-form expressions for the lifetimes, emphasizing the role of the interplay between Auger and Shockley-Read-Hall generation processes.