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Thin-film Photodiode with an a-Si:H/nc-Si:H Absorption Bilayer

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 June 2011

Y. Vygranenko*
Affiliation:
Electronics, Telecommunications and Computer Engineering, ISEL, 1949-014 Lisbon, Portugal CTS-UNINOVA, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
M. Vieira
Affiliation:
Electronics, Telecommunications and Computer Engineering, ISEL, 1949-014 Lisbon, Portugal CTS-UNINOVA, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
A. Sazonov
Affiliation:
Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, N2L 3G1, Canada
*
*Corresponding author: [email protected]
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Abstract

We report on the fabrication and characterization of n+-n-i-δi-p thin-film photodiodes with an active region comprising a hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si:H) n-layer and a hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) i-layer. The combination of wide- and narrow-gap absorption layers enables the spectral response extending from the near-ultraviolet (NUV) to the near-infrared (NIR) region. Moreover, in the low-bias range, when only the i-layer is depleted, the leakage current is significantly lower than that in the conventional nc-Si:H n+-n-p+ photodiode deposited under the same deposition conditions. Device with the 900nm/400nm thick n-i-layers exhibits a reverse dark current density of 3 nA/cm2 at −1V. In the high-bias range, when the depletion region expands within the n-layer, the magnitude of the leakage current depends on electronic properties of nc-Si:H. The density of shallow and deep states, and diffusion length of holes in the n-layer have been estimated from the capacitance-voltage characteristics and from the bias dependence of the long-wavelength response, respectively. To improve the quantum efficiency in the NIR-region, we have also implemented a Cr / ZnO:Al back reflector. The observed long-wavelength spectral response is about twice as high as that for a reference photodiode without ZnO:Al layer. Results demonstrate the feasibility of the photodiode for low-level light detection in the NUV-to-NIR spectral range.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2011

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References

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