Experimental characterization of gold-doped infrared-sensing MOSFET's

The operation of a new type of infrared photon detector is described. This device is a gold-doped n-channel MOSFET that employs impurity photoionization to modulate its drain-to-source conductance. A simple mathematical model is developed whereby the infrared-sensing MOSFET (IRFET) can be analyzed, and experimental results that verify the model are provided. The near-infrared, i.e., wavelengths from 1.38 to 3.54 µm, response of gold impurity centers in the space-charge region behind the strong surface inversion layer of a MOSFET is shown to correspond to the characteristics observed previously by other authors for the gold centers in bulk silicon. A static read-only memory capability and high responsivity, typically 4 mW/µJ, are the most significant IRFET characteristics. Applications in large-scale-integrated imaging arrays are anticipated.