High-performance ultraviolet photodetectors based on lattice-matched InAlN/AlGaN heterostructure field-effect transistors gated by transparent ITO films

We demonstrate high-performance ultraviolet photodetectors (UV-PDs) based on lattice-matched (LM) InAlN/AlGaN heterostructure field-effect transistors (HFETs) gated by transparent ITO films. Low dark currents of 6.8 × 10−8 and 6.1 × 10−7 A/mm and high photocurrent gains over four and three orders of magnitude were obtained for the LM In0.12Al0.88N/Al0.21Ga0.79N and In0.10Al0.90N/Al0.34Ga0.66N HFETs, respectively. The negative threshold voltage shifts under illumination indicate that most of the photo-generated carriers are transported in the two-dimensional gas (2DEG) region around the InAlN/AlGaN interface. High peak responsivities of 2.2 × 104 and 5.4 × 104 A/W and large UV-to-visible rejection ratios greater than 104 and 103 were achieved for the LM In0.12Al0.88N/Al0.21Ga0.79N and In0.10Al0.90N/Al0.34Ga0.66N HFET-type UV-PDs, respectively. These improved performances with respect to other AlGaN UV-PDs around the same wavelength detection range may possibly be attributed to the greater contribution of the photogenerated electrons to the 2DEG, which results from the increase in the polarization sheet charge density at the InAlN/AlGaN interface. The LM InAlN/AlGaN heterostructures provide relatively promising candidates for realizing high-performance HFET-type UV-PDs.