Effect of i-layer parameters on the performance of Si n/sup +/-i-n/sup +/ homojunction far-infrared detectors

A unified formalism, including space-charge-limited (SCL) conduction, tunneling, and the multiple-image-force effect, is developed to perform a complete analysis of Si n/sup +/-i-n/sup +/ homojunction interfacial workfunction internal photoemission (HIWIP) FIR detectors. It is shown that due to the space-charge effect, the detector performance, such as cutoff wavelength (/spl lambda//sub c/), quantum efficiency (/spl eta/), dark current (I/sub d/), noise equivalent power (NEP), etc., is strongly influenced by the i-layer thickness (W/sub i/) and compensating acceptor concentration (N/sub ai/) in addition to the emitter layer parameters. As a result, the optimum operating conditions of detectors also depend on W and N/sub ai/. The background limited performance (BLIP) is evaluated, and a critical W/sub i/ value is found for BLIP operation.