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Resonance effects on gain and noise in avalanche photodiodes

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Abstract

A methodology for calculating avalanche multiplication and noise using non local ionisation coefficients is developed. Results are calculated for two electric field values and two features are demonstrated: the well known dead space effect and at the higher field value a resonance effect. The resonance effect gives rise to level sections in the multiplication curve for multiplications of 2, 4, 8 and 16 if the ionization coefficient ratio is small. Also the excess noise factor reduces to almost one at these level sections indicating almost no avalanche noise and a deterministic avalanche process. This result is used to explain the recently observed low excess noise factor in Hg1−x Cd x Te avalanche photodiodes.

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  1. Department of Electrical Engineering and Electronics, University of Liverpool, Brownlow Hill, Liverpool, L69 3GJ, UK

    J. S. Marsland

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  1. J. S. Marsland
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Marsland, J.S. Resonance effects on gain and noise in avalanche photodiodes. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 20 (Suppl 1), 514–518 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-008-9714-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-008-9714-1

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