Experimental evaluation of impact ionization in dilute nitride GaInNAs diodes

Tan, S. L. et al. (2013) Experimental evaluation of impact ionization in dilute nitride GaInNAs diodes. Applied Physics Letters, 103(10), p. 102101. (doi: 10.1063/1.4819846)

Abstract

The anomalous behavior of impact ionization in dilute-nitride GaInNAs photodiodes with a range of nitrogen content below 4% is investigated. The ratio of hole- and electron-initiated ionization coefficients, k = β/α, is enhanced by a factor up to ∼4 with increasing nitrogen content. The absolute ionization coefficients are suppressed by up to two orders of magnitude at low electric fields in samples with 3% N. The narrow band gap, suppressed impact ionization, and increased breakdown voltage characteristics of GaInNAs make it a suitable material for use as part of a composite collector in GaAs-based heterojunction bipolar transistors.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Steer, Dr Matthew
• Authors: Tan, S. L., Soong, W. M., Green, J. E., Steer, M. J., Zhang, S., Tan, L. J. J., Ng, J. S., Marko, I. P., Sweeney, S. J., Adams, A. R., Allam, J., and David, J. P. R.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering > Electronics and Nanoscale Engineering
• Journal Name: Applied Physics Letters
• Publisher: American Institute of Physics
• ISSN: 0003-6951
• ISSN (Online): 0003-6951