TY - JOUR
T1 - Analytical and numerical evaluation of electron-injection detector optimized for SWIR photon detection
AU - Movassaghi, Yashar
AU - Fathipour, Vala
AU - Fathipour, Morteza
AU - Mohseni, Hooman
N1 - Funding Information:
Authors at Northwestern University would like to acknowledge the partial support from NSF Award No. IIP-1500314, DARPA/ARO, Award Nos. W911NF-11-1-0390 W911NF-12-1-0324 and W911NF-13-1-0485, as well as the computational resources and staff contributions provided for the Quest high performance computing facility at Northwestern University, which is jointly supported by the Office of the Provost, the Office for Research, and Northwestern University Information Technology. V.F. would also like to acknowledge the Ryan Fellowship support from Northwestern University. Y.M. and M.F. would like to acknowledge the partial support by Nanoelectronic Center of Excellence at the department of electrical and computer engineering at University of Tehran.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 Author(s).
PY - 2017/2/28
Y1 - 2017/2/28
N2 - Recent results from our electron-injection detectors as well as other heterojunction phototransistors with gain suggest that these devices are useful in many applications including medical imaging, light detection and ranging, and low-light level imaging. However, there are many parameters to optimize such structures. Earlier, we showed a good agreement between experimental results and our models. In this paper, we provide detailed analytical models for rise time, gain, and dark current that very accurately evaluate key parameters of the device. These show an excellent agreement with detailed three-dimensional numerical simulations. We also explore a figure of merit that is useful for low-light-detection applications. Based on this figure of merit, we examine the ultimate sensitivity of the device. Furthermore, we explore the effects of variations in some of the key parameters in the device design and present an optimum structure for the best figure of merit. Our models suggest ways to improve the existing devices that we have, and may be a guideline for similar phototransistors.
AB - Recent results from our electron-injection detectors as well as other heterojunction phototransistors with gain suggest that these devices are useful in many applications including medical imaging, light detection and ranging, and low-light level imaging. However, there are many parameters to optimize such structures. Earlier, we showed a good agreement between experimental results and our models. In this paper, we provide detailed analytical models for rise time, gain, and dark current that very accurately evaluate key parameters of the device. These show an excellent agreement with detailed three-dimensional numerical simulations. We also explore a figure of merit that is useful for low-light-detection applications. Based on this figure of merit, we examine the ultimate sensitivity of the device. Furthermore, we explore the effects of variations in some of the key parameters in the device design and present an optimum structure for the best figure of merit. Our models suggest ways to improve the existing devices that we have, and may be a guideline for similar phototransistors.
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U2 - 10.1063/1.4976012
DO - 10.1063/1.4976012
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85013798848
SN - 0021-8979
VL - 121
JO - Journal of Applied Physics
JF - Journal of Applied Physics
IS - 8
M1 - 084501
ER -