Interfacial Work Functions and Extrinsic Silicon Infrared Photocathodes

D. D. Coon, R. P. Devaty, and R. E. Sherriff
Microtronics Associates, 4516 Henry Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213

A. G. U. Perera
Department of Physics and Astronomy, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303

ABSTRACT
It is shown that n⁺ and/or p⁺ contacts on p-i-n diodes can function as solid-state photoemitters at temperatures <20 K. Infrared radiation can excite electrons or holes over small n-i or p-i interfacial barriers and into the intrinsic region when the diode is forward biased. Photoelectric thresholds in the far infrared corresponding to 37 and 61 µm cutoffs have been observed for silicon devices using a Fourier transform spectrometer. Suggestions are made to tailor the cutoff wavelengths using different concentrations of various impurities near the metal-insulator transition. Epitaxially grown multilayered (superlattice) detectors are proposed. © 1989 American Institute of Physics

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