High-performance GaN metal–insulator–semiconductor ultraviolet photodetectors using gallium oxide as gate layer

In this study, gallium nitride (GaN)-based metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) ultraviolet (UV) photodetectors (PDs) with a gallium oxide (GaO(x)) gate layer formed by alternating current bias-assisted photoelectrochemical oxidation of n-GaN are presented. By introducing the GaO(x) gate layer to the GaN MIS UV PDs, the leakage current is reduced and a much larger UV-to-visible rejection ratio (R(UV/vis)) of spectral responsivity is achieved. In addition, a bias-dependent spectral response results in marked increase of the R(UV/vis) with bias voltage up to ~10(5). The bias-dependent responsivity suggests the possible existence of internal gain in of the GaN MIS PDs.