Characterization of midwave infrared InSb avalanche photodiode

This paper focuses on the InSb material potential for the elaboration of Avalanche Photodiodes (APD) for high performance infrared imaging applications, both in passive or active mode. The first InSb electron-APD structure was grown by molecular beam epitaxy, processed and electrically characterized. The device performances are at the state of the art for the InSb epi-diode technology, with a dark current density J(-50 mV) = 32 nA/cm(2) at 77 K. Then, a pure electron injection was performed, and an avalanche gain, increasing exponentially, was observed with a gain value near 3 at -4V at 77 K. The Okuto-Crowell model was used to determine the electron ionization coefficient alpha(E) in InSb, and the InSb gain behavior is compared with the one of InAs and MCT APDs. (C) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC.