Photocurrent-voltage relation of resonant tunneling diode photodetectors

We have investigated photodetectors based on an AlGaAs/GaAs double barrier structure with a nearby lattice-matched GaInNAs absorption layer. Photons with the telecommunication wavelength λ=1.3 μm lead to hole accumulation close to the double barrier inducing a voltage shift ΔV(V) of the current-voltage curve, which depends strongly on the bias voltage V. A model is proposed describing ΔV(V) and the photocurrent response in excellent agreement with the experimental observations. According to the model, an interplay of the resonant tunneling diode (RTD) quantum efficiency η(V), the lifetime of photogenerated and accumulated charge carriers τ(V), and the RTD current-voltage relation in the dark determines best working parameters of RTD photodetectors. Limitations and voltage dependencies of the photoresponse are discussed.

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