Temperature, Current, and Voltage Dependences of Junction Failure in PIN Photodiodes

• Published in: ETRI journal Vol. 28; no. 5; pp. 555 - 560
• Main Authors: Park, Sahng-Gi, Sim, Eun-Deok, Park, Jeong-Woo, Sim, Jae-Sik, Song, Hyun-Woo, Oh, Su-Hwan, Baek, Yong-Soon
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Korean
• Published: 한국전자통신연구원 01.10.2006; ETRI
• Subjects: 전자/정보통신공학; detectors; dark current; Photodiodes; junction failure; reliability
• ISSN: 1225-6463; 2233-7326

A PIN photodiode having a low dark current of 1.35 nA and a high external quantum efficiency of 95.3% fabricated for a passive optical network receiver. As the current was increased under a high voltage of 38 V and a temperature of $190^{\circ}C$, it was observed that there is a threshold current at 11 mA which induces a junction failure. Experimental data suggest that the junction failure occurs due to the crystal breaking at the end facet as a result of thermal heat or energetic carriers. This threshold behavior of junction failure is a valuable observation for the safe treatment of photodiodes. As long as the current is limited below the threshold currents, we have not observed failure events of our photodiodes.