Numerical simulation of long wavelength photovoltaic HgCdTe photodiodes

In the paper the performance of n-on-p long wavelength photovoltaic Hg/sub 1-x/Cd/sub x/Te (x=0.224) photodiode has been simulated numerically. Calculation is based on 2D model for the backside-illuminated configuration. The influence of several factors, including p-type region thickness, the distance from p-type region contact to n/sup +/ area, n-side doping profile, and lifetime of electron, on R/sub 0/A product and zero-bias photocurrent is studied. Simulation results show that R/sub 0/A product decreases with increase in thickness of the p-type region. As the distance from p-type region contact to n/sup +/ area increases, R/sub 0/A product increases, but quantum efficiency deceases, the optimized distance is about 100/spl mu/m. The performance of photodiode is strongly dependent on minority carrier (electron) lifetime, but n-side doping profile is less important.