Surface plasmon effects in metal-semiconductor-metal photodetectors

In this paper, we report a theoretical study on the various electromagnetic resonance effects (Horizontal surface plasmons, Cavity modes, 'hybrid' modes) in Metal-Semiconductor-Metal (MSM) Photodetector (PD). Field profiles are calculated using the surface impedance boundary condition technique, which is extended in this paper to model complex transmission gratings. A detailed study on the dependence of these different resonance modes on the structural geometry and material composition is described. Design rules to tailor the properties of the various resonance modes by appropriately varying the structural geometry and material composition for possible use in various applications are discussed. Potential structures of Si and HgCdTe MSM-PD are discussed for use in high-speed operation.