Theoretical Model of Resonant Tunneling Diode Photodetector

RTD photodetectors have been widely applied in fields such as gas detection, weak signal detection, and single-photon detection. However, during further device design and optimization, it has been found that existing theoretical models cannot fully capture the diverse practical behaviors of RTD photodetectors. In this work, we analyze the influence of optical illumination on the band structure of RTDs and, based on the model proposed by Schulman et al., develop a relatively comprehensive theoretical model for RTD photodetectors. By comparing the model predictions with experimental data reported in the literature, we demonstrate that the proposed model can accurately describe the various physical effects in RTD photodetectors and faithfully reproduce the actual evolution of the I-V characteristics. This model provides a solid foundation for the design and optimization of RTD photodetector devices.