Thermal interdiffusion in InGaAs/GaAs strained multiple quantum well infrared photodetector

Abstract

RTA at 850 °C for 5 and 10 s is carried out to study the effect of interdiffusion on the optical and electrical properties of strained InGaAs/GaAs quantum well infrared photodetector. Photoluminescence measurement at 4.5 K shows that no strain relaxation or misfit dislocation formation occurs throughout the annealing process. Absorption and responsivity peak wavelengths are red shifted continuously without appreciable degradation in absorption strength. The normal incident absorption, which is believed to be the result of band-mixing effects induced by the coupling between the conduction and valence and is usually forbidden in conventional polarization selection rule, is preserved after interdiffusion. Responsivity spectra of both 0° and 90° polarization are of compatible amplitude and the shape of the annealed spectra becomes narrower. Dark current of the annealed devices is not very sensitive to temperature variation and is found to be an order of magnitude larger than the as-grown one at 77K.