Angle-Selective Photodetection in Ge/Si Quantum Dot Photodiodes Enhanced by Microstructured Hole Arrays

Abstract

We report on the near-infrared (NIR) photoresponse of a micropatterned Ge/Si quantum dot (QD) pin photodiode at different angles of radiation incidence. The photon-trapping hole array was etched through the n+-type top contact layer to reach the buried QDs. The normal-incidence responsivity was observed to be resonantly increased at wavelengths of 1.4, 1.7, and 1.9 μm by factors of 40, 33, and 30, respectively, compared with the reference detector without holes. As the incident angle θ increases, the resonance peaks are disappeared and at θ>40∘ a new resonance with a 25× enhancement arises at a wavelength of 1.8 μm. Simulation of the near-field intensity, Poynting vector distribution and wave polarization showed that at small θ, the strong electric field is primarily localized under the air holes (1.4 μm, TM mode) or between the holes (1.7 and 1.9 μm, TE modes) inside the region occupied by QDs, resulting in the strong NIR photocurrent. At large θ, the dominant resonance detected at 1.8 μm is the result of coupling between the TE and TM modes and formation of a mixed near-field state.

Keywords

• quantum dots
• near-infrared photodetection
• photon-trapping microstructures
• telecom