We present a model for the description of dark IV curves in midinfrared quantum well infrared photodetectors at low temperatures, in a regime where dark current is dominated by interwell tunneling. The model separates the IV curve into a low-field and a high-field region allowing us to identify the effects ascribed to miniband transport and carrier localization, respectively. At low fields the system is thought as a superlattice and described by means of a high-density correction of the Esaki-Tsu model. This approach allows us to simulate current saturation phenomena that occur at low temperatures at intermediate fields. On the other hand, high-field transport effects are described in the localized Wannier-Stark basis in order to account for tunneling and field-assisted thermionic emission effects. We then compare simulations with our measurements of the IV curves of mid-IR quantum well infrared photodetectors finding good quantitative agreement between theory and experiment.

Modeling of dark current in midinfrared quantum well infrared photodetectors / Castellano, F.; Rossi, Fausto; Faist, J.; Lhuillier, E.; Berger, V.. - In: PHYSICAL REVIEW. B, CONDENSED MATTER AND MATERIALS PHYSICS. - ISSN 1098-0121. - STAMPA. - 79:20(2009), pp. 205304-1-205304-10. [10.1103/PhysRevB.79.205304]

Modeling of dark current in midinfrared quantum well infrared photodetectors

ROSSI, FAUSTO;
2009

Abstract

We present a model for the description of dark IV curves in midinfrared quantum well infrared photodetectors at low temperatures, in a regime where dark current is dominated by interwell tunneling. The model separates the IV curve into a low-field and a high-field region allowing us to identify the effects ascribed to miniband transport and carrier localization, respectively. At low fields the system is thought as a superlattice and described by means of a high-density correction of the Esaki-Tsu model. This approach allows us to simulate current saturation phenomena that occur at low temperatures at intermediate fields. On the other hand, high-field transport effects are described in the localized Wannier-Stark basis in order to account for tunneling and field-assisted thermionic emission effects. We then compare simulations with our measurements of the IV curves of mid-IR quantum well infrared photodetectors finding good quantitative agreement between theory and experiment.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11583/2372314
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