Numerical Estimations of Carrier Generation–Recombination Processes and the Photon Recycling Effect in HgCdTe Heterostructure Photodiodes

• Published in: Journal of electronic materials Vol. 41; no. 10; pp. 2766 - 2774
• Main Authors: Jóźwikowski, K., Kopytko, M., Rogalski, A.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer US 01.10.2012; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Cadmium compounds; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry and Materials Science; Diodes; Electronics; Electronics and Microelectronics; Exact sciences and technology; Heterostructures; Instrumentation; Intermetallics; Materials; Materials Science; Mercury cadmium telluride; Mercury compounds; Optical and Electronic Materials; Optoelectronic devices; Photodiodes; Photons; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Semiconductors; Software; Solid State Physics; Tellurides; HgCdTe photodiodes; Photon recycling; generation–recombination processes; Transport equation; Two photon process; Electronic properties; Charge carrier mobility; Radiative recombination; Photodiode; Density distribution; Photodetector; Energy gap; Spatial distribution; Computer program; II-VI semiconductors; Experimental design; Charge carrier recombination; Cadmium tellurides; Charge carrier generation; Mercury tellurides; generation-recombination processes; Recombination process; Heterostructures
• ISSN: 0361-5235; 1543-186X
• DOI: 10.1007/s11664-012-2093-7

An enhanced computer program has been applied to explain in detail the photon recycling effect which drastically limits the influence of radiative recombination on the performance of p -on- n HgCdTe heterostructure photodiodes. The computer program is based on a solution of the carrier transport equations, as well as the photon transport equations for semiconductor heterostructures. We distinguish photons in two energy ranges according to p + and n region with unequal band gaps. As a result, both the distribution of thermal carrier generation and recombination rates and spatial photon density distribution in photodiode structures have been obtained. The general conclusion, similar to our earlier work concerning 3- μ m n -on- p HgCdTe heterostructure photodiodes, confirms the previous assertion by Humphreys that radiative recombination does not limit HgCdTe photodiode performance.