Silicon sub-bandgap photon linear detection in two-photon experiments: A photo-assisted Shockley-Read-Hall mechanism

We investigate the linear response of silicon p-i-n diodes to sub-bandgap photons (1.4 μm-1.6 μm) that has been reported by many authors and left unexplored till then. The quantum efficiency of this mechanism is extremely low (typically 10−9) but has a drastic influence on silicon devices harnessing...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Applied physics letters 2013-01, Vol.102 (3)
Main Authors: Vest, B., Lucas, E., Jaeck, J., Haïdar, R., Rosencher, E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
A defects
Dark current
Diodes
Flux
Optics
Photons
Physics
Quantum efficiency
Silicon
Silicon devices
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Summary:We investigate the linear response of silicon p-i-n diodes to sub-bandgap photons (1.4 μm-1.6 μm) that has been reported by many authors and left unexplored till then. The quantum efficiency of this mechanism is extremely low (typically 10−9) but has a drastic influence on silicon devices harnessing two-photon absorption. We show that this linear photonic current decreases with temperature, displaying an activation energy similar to the dark current one. We show that this behaviour is consistent with a photo-assisted Shockley-Read mechanism in which the occupancy factor of a defect state in the Si band gap is influenced by the sub-band gap photon flux.
ISSN:0003-6951
1077-3118
DOI:10.1063/1.4788705