Study of the Frame Architecture on the Photodetection of the Self-Driven SnTe:Si/Si Heterostructure

• Published in: IEEE sensors journal Vol. 24; no. 21; pp. 34273 - 34280
• Main Authors: Wu, Yukang, Zhou, Yue, Gao, Yue, Fan, Jiateng, Xie, Yizhu, Luo, Jingting, Zhong, Aihua
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York IEEE 01-11-2024; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Aluminum nitride; Dark current; Gallium oxides; Heterojunctions; Heterostructures; III-V semiconductor materials; Infrared imaging; Insulated frame; Performance evaluation; photodetector; Photodetectors; Photoelectric effect; Photometers; photoresponse; Remote sensing; Silicon; SnTe; topological crystalline insulator (TCI); Wide bandgap semiconductors
• ISSN: 1530-437X; 1558-1748
• DOI: 10.1109/JSEN.2024.3455430

Photodetectors have a wide range of potential applications in infrared imaging, optical communication, and remote sensing. The architecture of the photodetectors plays an important role in their photodetection performances. Herein, taking the SnTe:Si/Si diode-type photodetector as an example, we reported that Ga2O3 frame architecture is highly effective in the improvement of photodetection. Three kinds of wide bandgap semiconductors (Ga2O3, Si3N4, and AlN) were used as the frame to construct SnTe:Si/Si heterostructure photodetectors. It is found that frame architecture can reduce the dark current of SnTe:Si/Si heterojunction, and different frame materials greatly influenced the dark current and photocurrent of SnTe:Si/Si heterostructure. Notably, the devices with Ga2O3 frame exhibit superior performance, and it showcases a responsivity (R) of 3176 mA/W and a record-high specific detectivity (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">{D} ^{\ast } </tex-math></inline-formula>) of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">2.21\times 10^{{14}} </tex-math></inline-formula> Jones under 850-nm illumination, which are <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">10\times </tex-math></inline-formula> and <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">70\times </tex-math></inline-formula> higher than those of the device without any frame architecture. Therefore, the frame architecture is highly effective in the enhancement of R and <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">{D} ^{\ast } </tex-math></inline-formula> and may be applicable to all the diode-type photodetectors.