AlxGa1-xN p-i-n photodiodes on sapphire substrates

We report the fabrication and characterization of AlxGa1-xN p-i-n photodiodes (0.05 less than or equal to X less than or equal to 0.30) grown on sapphire by low-pressure metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. The devices present a visible-rejection of about four orders of magnitude with a cutoff wavelength that shifts from 350 nm to 291 nm. They also exhibit a constant responsivity for five decades (30 mW/m2 to 1 kW/m2) of optical power density. Using capacitance measurements, the values for the acceptor concentration in the p-AlxGa1-xN region and the unintentional donor concentration in the intrinsic region are found. Photocurrent decays are exponential for high load resistances, with a time constant that corresponds to the RC product of the system. For low load resistances the transient response becomes non- exponential, with a decay time longer than the RC constant.