Enhancement of electron impact ionization in a superlattice: A new avalanche photodiode with a large ionization rate ratio

1 January 1982

journal article
conference paper
Published by AIP Publishing in Applied Physics Letters

Vol. 40 (1) , 38-40
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.92910

Abstract

The first superlattice avalanche photodiode (APD) is reported. The high field region of this p‐i‐n structure consists of 50 alternating Al_0.45Ga_0.55As (550 Å) and GaAs (450 Å) layers. A large ionization rate ratio has been measured in the field range (2.1–2.7)×10⁵ V/cm, with α/β≃10 at a gain of 10 giving a McIntyre noise factor F_n = 3. The ionization rate ratio enhancement with respect to bulk GaAs and AlGaAs is attributed to the large difference in the band edge discontinuities for electrons and holes at the heterojunction interfaces. The superlattice APD is a new device concept which can be used to develop low noise APD’s in a variety of III‐V materials including long wavelength 1.3–1.6‐μm semiconductors.

Keywords

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