III-V compound semiconductor devices: Optical detectors

1 November 1984

journal article
Published by Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) in IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices

Vol. 31 (11) , 1643-1655
https://doi.org/10.1109/t-ed.1984.21765

Abstract

This article presents a review of the historical developments in optical detectors and discusses the motivations for interest in III-V semiconductors for optical-detector applications. Early device work in both depletion-mode photodiodes and avalanche photodiodes in III-V semiconductors is covered as well as the improvements that have been made in avalanche photodiode structures through work in silicon. Also, the results of ionization coefficient measurements on III-V compounds are summarized. Finally, several examples of recent avalanche photodiodes that utlilize the unique properties of heterostructures are presented.

Keywords

PHOTODIODES
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
AVALANCHE PHOTODIODE
LIGHT EMITTING DIODE
SEMICONDUCTOR LASERS
QUANTUM EFFICIENCY
SILICON
FREQUENCY