Response Time of III-V Multistage Detectors Based on the “Ga-Free” InAs/InAsSb Type-II Superlattice

Abstract

This paper presents a response time/time constant of III-V material-based interband long wavelength multistage infrared detector optimized for a wavelength of 10.6 µm at 200 K. The device is based on the InAs/InAsSb type-II superlattice with highly doped p+/n+ tunneling junctions among the stages. The detector exhibits a response time of 9.87 ns under zero voltage condition, while for 0.15 V reverse bias, that time decreases to approximately 350 ps. The presented device shows a significant increase in response time, especially for low bias, and for a voltage of −0.2 V, the decrease in the detector’s response time by an order of magnitude was estimated. Higher voltage slightly affects the time constant, and between −0.3 V and −1 V, it varies between 300 and 400 ps. The significant change in the detector’s response time between −0.1 V and −0.2 V probably results from electric field drop over entire absorber region. The optimal operating condition can be reached for −0.15 V, where the time constant reaches approximately 350 ns with peak detectivity at a level of ~3 × 109 Jones.

Keywords

• ICIP
• interband cascade detector
• InAs/InAsSb superlattice
• response time
• time constant