A high gain In0.53Ga0.47As/InP avalanche photodiode with no tunneling leakage current

Abstract

We have fabricated high quantum efficiency, high‐gain (≊5500) avalanche photodiodes with long‐wavelength sensitivity up to λ = 1.7 μm. The primary dark current density at breakdown is J_PR⩽8×10⁻⁵ A/cm² with no evidence for tunneling leakage prior to avalanche. To fabricate avalanche photodiodes with no tunneling leakage and high photoresponse at breakdown, we find that the total number of fixed charges in the n‐InP layer must lie in the range of 2×10¹² cm⁻²⩽σ_B⩽3×10¹² cm⁻².