Planar p-on-n HgCdTe heterostructure photovoltaic detectors

We report a process to fabricate planar Hg1−yCdyTe/Hg1−xCdxTe (x<y) heterostructure photodiodes with the p-on-n configuration. The material used for this demonstration was grown by molecular beam epitaxy. The p-on-n planar devices consist of an arsenic-doped p-type epilayer (y=0.28) on top of a long wavelength infrared n-type epilayer (x=0.225, λ=10 μm). The planar junctions were formed by selective pocket diffusion of arsenic deposited by ion implantation. The detailed analysis of the current-voltage characteristics of these diodes as a function of temperature show that they have high performance and that their dark currents are diffusion limited down to 52 K. The results also show that the R0A values for these devices are highly uniform at 77 K.