Semiconductor photodetector using avalanche multiplication

Abstract: On a p-type InP substrate 12, there are provided a p-type InGaAs light absorptive layer 14 and an InAlAs/InGaAs superlattice avalanche multiplier layer 15. By selecting the composition of the well layer and the barrier layer of the avalanche multiplier layer 15, a strain is applied to at least one of them so that the difference Δ E C between the energies at the lower end of the conduction band of the well layer and/or the barrier layer is increased, or the difference Δ Ev between the energies at the upper end of the valence band of the well layer and/or the barrier layer is decreased, and/or the effective mass of the hole within the well layer and/or barrier layer is decreased. Thus, the ionization factor ratio is further improved, or the pile-up of the hole is alleviated, or the traveling time of the hole is shortened to achieve an avalanche multiplier semiconductor photodetector having a wide bandwidth, low noise and high response characteristic.

Description: FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a semiconductor photodetector used in optical communication, optical data processing, optical measurement or the like, and particularly to an avalanche photodiode which is highly sensitive over a wide range of bandwidth and which suffers little noise while exhibiting a high speed response. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Conventionally, as a semiconductor photodetector used for optical communication which is effective over a range of wavelengths of 1 through 1.6µm, there has been known a PIN photodiode (IEEE Electron Device Letters, pages 283 through 285, Vol. EDL-2, 1981) or an avalanche photodiode (IEEE Electron Device Letters, pages 257 through 258, Vol. EDL-7, 1986), in which an InGaAs layer (for example, In 0.53 Ga 0.47 As layer) disposed on an InP substrate so as to align in lattices is served as a light absorptive layer. In particular, the latter has been in practical use for long-distance communication because it can exhibit an internal gain effect and a high speed response resulting from the avalanche multiplier effect. Fig. 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a typical InGaAs avalanche photodiode. An avalanche photodiode will be hereinafter referred to as APD. Formed on an n-type InP substrate 1 are an n-type InP buffer layer 2, an n-type InGaAs light absorptive layer 3, an n-type InP avalanche multiplier layer 4, an n-type InP cap layer 5, a p-type light receptor area 6, a p-type guard ring region 7 and a passivation film 8. In addition, a p-side electrode 9 is connected to the light receptor area 6 while an n-side electrode 10 is connected to the substrate 1. According to this APD operating principle, among the photo-carriers generated at the InGaAs light absorptive layer 3, holes are injected into the InP avalanche multiplier layer 4. Since a high voltage is applied to the InP avalanche multiplier layer 4, an ionizing collision takes place there resulting in a multiplying characteristic. In this case, it is known that the noise and response characteristics, which are important from the point of the element characteristics, are governed by the random ionizing process of the carriers in the process of multiplication. To be concrete, the greater the difference between the ionization factor of the electron and that of the hole at the InP layer, which is the multiplier layer, is, the greater the ratio therebetween can be taken (assuming that the ionization factors of the electron and the hole be each α and β, if α / β > 1 then the electron corresponds to the main carrier which causes the ionizing collision, and if otherwise, then the hole serves as the main carrier for carrying out the ionizing collision), which is desirable from the point of the element characteristics. However, the ratio between the ionization factors (α / β or β / α ) is determined in terms of the physical property of the material used, and is equal to β / α = 2, at most, for InP. This is remarkably small as compared with the α /β = 20 for Si having a low noise characteristic. Therefore, in order to realize a further lower noise characteristic and a higher response characteristic, some epoch-making material technology is called for. In connection with this, F. Capasso et al proposed a superlattice APD which aims at achieving the high sensitivity and a wide range of bandwidth through the increase of the ratio α /β by utilizing the discontinuity (discontinuity value Δ Ec ) of the energies at the lower end of the conduction band to promote the ionization of the electron. The same example is described in Applied Physics Letters (Pages 38 through 40, Vol. 40, 1982). On the other hand, not in connection with APD, it is also known that the band structure can be changed by applying a stress to the superlattice structure of the semiconductor and, in particular, the degeneration of the energy level of the heavy and light holes is released in the valence band. The same example is described in Journal of Applied Physics (pages 344 through 352, Vol. 67, 1990). Strained-layer Ga 1-x In x As/lnP avalanche photodetectors are known from Gershoni et al., in Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 53, No. 14, October 3, 1988, pages 1294-1296. JP-A-2 090 575 discloses a semiconductor photodetecting element in which hot carriers travel, wherein the effect of applying a compressive stress to an InGaAs layer is to reverse the light and heavy hole energy levels so that the effective mass of holes within the layers in reduced. In Patent Abstracts of Japan, Vol. 9, No. 178 (E-330), July 23, 1985 a semiconductor photodetector device with the use of strained superlattice is described as resulting in an increased ionization rate and reduced noise. An avalanche photodiode is disclosed in the Art- 54(3) EPC document EP-A-0 497 279 and includes an avalanche multiplication layer of a hetereo-periodical structure consisting of altemately provided barrier and well layers. Each barrier layer includes a multiquantum barrier layer consisting of altemately provided short-width barrier and well layers. EP-A-0 497 279 has been published after the filing date of the present invention. As described above, in the superlattice APD, ΔE c greatly lends itself to the improvement of the ratio between the ionization factors. However, in the superlattice APD, at the same time, the holes are piled up, and the bandwidth is suppressed due to the discontinuity (discontinuity value ΔE v ) of the energies at the upper end of the valence band. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve the foregoing problem and to provide an APD which is effective over a wide range of bandwidth and is low in noise while having a high response. More specifically, an object of the present invention is to provide an APD which is effective over a wide range of bandwidth and low in noise while having a high response by further increasing Δ Ec to further increase the ratio between the ionization factors, or by decreasing Δ Ev to alleviate the pile-up of the holes, or by taking the energy level of the light hole as the ground level to reduce the effective mass of the hole so that the traveling time of the hole is shortened while the pile-up of the holes, which is caused by Δ Ev, is alleviated. In accordance with the present invention said object is solved with the features of claim 1. Prefered embodiments of the invention are mentioned in the subclaims and/or the following description. Strain may increase the difference between the energy at the lower end of the conduction band of the first semiconductor layer and the energy at the lower end of the conduction band of the second semiconductor layer. Strain may lessen the difference between the energy at the upper end of the valence band of the first semiconductor layer and the energy at the upper end of the valence band of the second semiconductor layer. Strain may lessen the effective mass of the hole at the first and/or second semiconductor layers. As the semiconductor substrate or the first and second semiconductor layers of claim 1, the III-V groups compound semiconductors are used. For example, if InP is used for the semiconductor substrate, then, as the first semiconductor layer, InGaAs , InAlGaAs, or InGaASP may be used and, as the second semiconductor layer, InAlAs or InP may be used. In addition, if GaAs is used as the semiconductor substrate, then, as the first semiconductor layer, GaAs may be used and, as the second semiconductor layer, AlGaAs may be used. By properly selecting the compound compositions of the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer, the crystal lattice constant of these semiconductors is properly selected so that at least one of these two semiconductor layers may have a tensile strain or a compressive strain. The magnitude of this strain can be represented by the magnitude of the deviation of the crystal lattice constant of the semiconductor layer from that of the substrate with the latter taken as a criterion. The magnitude of the strain is preferably more than 0.1 % in-order to display the strain effect of the semiconductor layer. In addition, the non-strain semiconductor layer is supposed to also include ones having a fine strain of below 0.02 % which can be substantially ignored. According to the present invention, the above-described second semiconductor layer comprises a layer for preventing the electron from transparently passing through and a multiple quantum barrier, which is a short period superlattice structure of a quantum barrier layer and a quantum well layer. The quantum well layer may be formed of the same material as that of the first semiconductor layer, that is, the well layer. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional APD; Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an APD ; Figs. 3 through 7 and Fig. 9 illustrate respectively the energy band structure of an APD ; and Fig. 8 describes an example of calculation of the reflection coefficient of electron for an InAlAs/InGaAs multiple quantum barrier. Fig. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a specific APD. On a p-type InP substrate 12, a p-type InP buffer layer 13, p-type InGaAs light absorptive layer 14, p-type semiconductor superlattice avalanche multiplier layer 15, p-type InP cap layer 16, n-type guard ring region 17, n + -type light receptive area 18 and a passivation film 8 are each formed. In addition, an n-side electrode 10 is connected to the light receptive area 18, and a p-side electrode 9 is connected to the substrate 12. In an APD, the strain of the first and second semiconductor layers of the superlattice avalanche multiplier layer 15 may be any of the tensile strain or compressive strain but, in general, they are set so that at least one of the following may be realized, that is, (1) the discontinuity value Δ E c between the energies at the lower end of the conduction band of the first and second semiconductor layers is made greater, (2) the discontinuity value Δ Ev between the energies at the upper end of the valence band of the first and second semiconductor layers is made smaller, and (3) the effective mass of the hole of the first and/or second semiconductor layers is made smaller. The semiconductor structure and, in particular, the superlattice avalanche multiplier layer 15 of the APD can be formed by using a growth technique such as MOVPE, MBE, gas source MBE or the like. Fig. 3 illustrates an energy band structure of an APD in which the first semiconductor layer, that is, the well layer has a tensile strain, and the second semiconductor layer, that is, the barrier layer has no strain. By way of example, as the well layer, In x Ga 1-x As (0 ≦ x ≦ 1) may be used and as the barrier layer, In y Al 1 - y , As (0 ≦ y ≦ 1) may be used. Here, x and y are selected so that the well layer has the tensile strain and the barrier layer has no strain. For example, if x = 0.33 and y = 0.52 then the well layer has the tensile strain of 1.5 % and the barrier layer has no strain. Among the photo carriers generated at the p-type InGaAs light absorptive layer, only the electron is injected into the avalanche multiplier layer 15 by a reversely biased electric field. Since the electron traveling through the avalanche multiplier layer senses Δ E c at the boundary between the well layer and the barrier layer, and the corresponding ionizing energy can be obtained, a major ionization factor ratio α/β can be obtained. On the other hand, since the well layer has the tensile strain, the mass of the hole traveling in the direction of the layer thickness becomes lighter than when the well layer has no strain (reported by C. P. Kuo et al in Journal of Applied Physics, pages 5428 through 5432, Vol. 57, 1985). As a result, since the traveling time of the hole through the well layer can be shortened, and the pile-up of the holes, which is caused by Δ Ev, is alleviated, a wide bandwidth and low noise photodetector can be achieved. Fig. 4, (b) illustrates an energy band structure of an APD in which the first semiconductor layer, that is, the well layer has the compressive strain and the second semiconductor layer, that is, the barrier layer has no strain. By way of example, as the well layer, In x Ga 1 - x As (0≦ x ≦ 1) can be used and, as the barrier layer, In y Al 1-y As (0 ≦ y ≦ 1) can be used. Here, x and y are selected so that the well layer has the compressive strain and the barrier layer has no strain. For example, if x = 0.61 and y = 0.52, then the well layer has the compressive strain of 0.5 % and the barrier layer has no strain. Incidentally, for the sake of comparison, Fig. 4, (a) illustrates an energy band structure of the APD in which both the well layer and the barrier layer have no strain with x = 0.53 and y = 0.52. Since the electron traveling through the avalanche multiplier layer 15 can sense Δ E c at the boundary between the well layer and the barrier layer, and receive the corresponding ionizing energy, a major ionization factor ratio α /β can be achieved. In particular, since this APD becomes greater in Δ E c by 39 meV than one in which both the well layer and the barrier layer have no strain, the ionization factor ratio can be further increased. Such a change of the band structure should be referred to the above-described report by C. P. Kuo et al in Journal of Applied Physics (pages 5428 through 5432, Vol. 57, 1985) and the report by T. Y. Wang et al in Journal of Applied Physics (pages 344 through 352, Vol. 67, 1990). In addition, if the well layer has the compressive strain of 0.5 %, as described above, then the degeneration of the energy level of the light and heavy holes is released, and the heavy hole becomes dominant. However, since its composition is rich in In, the mass m h h = 0.426 m 0 (m 0 denotes the mass of the free electron within vacuum) of the heavy hole which travels through the well layer becomes lighter by about 0.7 % than the mass m h h = 0.429 m 0 when the well layer has no strain. As a result, since the traveling time of the hole though the well layer can be shortened and the pile-up of the holes, which is caused by Δ Ev, can be alleviated, the photodetector of wide bandwidth and low noise can be achieved. Fig. 5, (b) illustrates an energy band structure of an APD in which the first semiconductor layer, that is, the well layer has a tensile strain, and the second semiconductor layer, that is, the barrier layer has a compressive strain. By way of example, as the well layer, In x Ga 1-x As (0 ≦ x ≦ 1) can be used and, as the barrier layer, In y Al 1 - y As (0 ≦ y ≦ 1) can be used. Here, x and y are each selected so that the well layer has a tensile strain and the barrier layer has a compressive strain. For example, if x = 0.458 and y = 0.595, then the well layer has a tensile strain of 0.5 % and the barrier layer has a compressive strain of 0.5 %. Incidentally, for the sake of comparison, Fig. 5, (a) illustrates an energy band structure of an APD in which both the well layer and the barrier layer have no strain with x = 0.530 and y = 0.521. Since the electron which travels through the avalanche multiplier layer 15 can sense Δ E C at the boundary between the well layer and the barrier layer, and receive the corresponding ionizing energy, a major ionization factor ratio α /β can be obtained. Further if the well layer has a tensile strain of 0.5 % and the barrier layer has a compressive strain of 0.5 % as described above, then, since Δ Ev becomes smaller by 30 meV than a case in which both the well layer and the barrier layer have no strain, the pile-up of the holes, which is caused by Δ Ev, is alleviated, and a photodetector of wide bandwidth and low noise can be obtained. In addition, the degeneration of the energy level of the light and heavy holes at the well layer is released, and the energy level of the light hole becomes higher by 36 meV than that of the heavy hole (that is, the ground level is taken). As a result, the light hole becomes dominant for the holes within the well layer with the result that the traveling time of the hole at the well layer can be shortened, and the pile-up of the holes is alleviated so that a photodetector of wide bandwidth and low noise can be obtained. Incidentally, since the strains of the well layer and the barrier layer are reverse to each other, it cannot substantially happen that these strains affect the portions other than the avalanche multiplier layer so that an excellent crystallization can be held. Further, the critical thickness of the avalanche multiplier layer becomes infinitely large in theoretical terms. Fig. 6, (b) illustrates an energy band structure of an APD in which the first semiconductor layer, that is, the well layer, and the second semiconductor layer, that is, the barrier layer both have a tensile strain. By way of example, as the well layer, In x Ga 1 - x As (0 ≦ x ≦ 1) can be used and, as the barrier layer, In y Al 1-y As (0 ≦ y ≦ 1) can be used. Here, x and y are each selected so that both the well layer and the barrier layer have a tensile strain. For example, if x = 0.458 and y = 0.447, both the well layer and the barrier layer each have the tensile strain of 0.5 %. Incidentally, for the sake of comparison, Fig. 6, (a) illustrates an energy band structure of an APD in which both the well layer and the barrier layer have no strain with x = 0.530 and y = 0.521. Since the electron which travels through the avalanche multiplier layer 15 can sense Δ E c at the boundary between the well layer and the barrier layer, and receive the corresponding ionizing energy, a major ionization factor ratio α /β can be obtained. In particular, in the APD according to the present invention, since Δ E c becomes greater by 84 meV than that of the APD in which both the well layer and the barrierr layer have no strain, the ionization factor ratio can be further increased. Further, when both the well layer and the barrier layer each have a tensile strain of 0.5 % as described above, since the degeneration of the energy level of the light and heavy holes at the well layer and the barrier layer is released and the energy level of the light hole becomes higher than that of the heavy hole by 36 meV for the well layer and by 33 meV for the barrier layer respectively (that is, the ground level is taken), the light hole becomes dominant for the holes within the well layer and the barrier layer with the result that the traveling time of the hole at both the well layer and the barrier layer can be shortened, and the pile-up of the holes is alleviated to obtain a photodetector of wide bandwidth and low noise. Fig. 7 illustrates an energy band structure of an APD in which the second semiconductor layer, that is, the barrier layer has a multiple quantum barrier. The barrier layer comprises a layer 21 for preventing the electron from passing through and a multiple quantum barrier 22. The multiple quantum barrier 22 comprises a quantum well layer and a quantum barrier layer. The former can be formed by using the same material as that of the first semiconductor layer, that is, the well layer, and the latter can be formed by using the same material as that of the layer for preventing the electron from passing through. Fig. 8 illustrates an example of calculation of the electron reflection coefficient of the electron for the multiple quantum barrier (MQB) when for the arrangement of Fig. 7 in which In x Ga 1-x As (0 ≦ x ≦ 1) is used as the well layer and the quantum well layer, and In y Al 1-y As (0 ≦ y ≦ 1) is used for the layer for preventing the electron from passing trough and the quantum, barrier layer, when it is compared with the case of a bulk barrier free from the multiple quantum barrier. The electron which enters the multiple quantum barrier senses the reflection coefficient based on the Interference effect even if it has an energy of above that of the quantum barrier layer. That is, it is possible to achieve an effective increase of the barrier effect. From Fig. 8 it can be found that the reflection coefficient of the electron will be increased up to about 1.7 times as large as that for the bulk barrier. The effective barrier achieving by adding this increment Δ E MQ B is indicated by broken line in Fig. 8. Fig. 9 illustrates an energy band structure cf an APD of the present invention in which the barrier layer has the multiple guantum barrier while the well layer has a tensile strain and the barrier layer has no strain. By way of example, as the well layer, In x Ga 1-x As (0 ≦ x ≦ 1) can be used and, as the barrier layer, In y Al 1-y As (0 ≦ y ≦ 1) can be used. Here, x and y are each selected so that the well layer has the tensile strain and the barrier layer has no strain. For example, if x = 0.33 and y = 0.52, then the well layer has a tensile strain of 1.5 %, and the barrier layer has no strain. Since the electron which travels through the avalanche multiplier layer 15 senses Δ E c plus Δ E MQ B at the boundary between the well layer and the barrier layer and receives the corresponding ionizing energy, a further greater ionization factor ratio α /β can be obtained than when no multiple quantum barrier exists. Yet, the hole which travels through the valence band does not sense the multiple quantum barrier because its mass is great as compared with the electron with the result that a further multiplication of the electron can be promoted On the other hand, since the well layer has the tensile strain, as in the case of Fig. 3, the mass of the hole which travels in the direction of the layer thickness becomes lighter than when the well layer has no strain. As a result, since the traveling time of the hole at the well layer can be shortened, and the pile-up of the holes, which is caused by A Ev, is alleviated, a photodetector of wide bandwidth and low noise can be obtained. Although, here, a case was described in which the barrier layer has the multiple quantum barrier while the well layer has the tensile strain and the barrier layer has no strain, since the effect of the multiple quantum barrier can be obtained independently of the effect caused by the strain applied to at least one of the above-described well layer and the barrier layer, the present invention may be also applied to the arrangements of Figs. 4 through 6 to similarly achieve a composite effect. Example 1 An APD having an arrangement as illustrated in Fig. 2 was made in the following manner. That is, on a p-type InP substrate 12, 0.5 µm of a p-type InP buffer layer 13, 1.5 µm of a p-type InGaAs light absorptive layer 14 and a 16-cycle avalanche multiplier layer 15 of In y Al 1-y As (y = 0.52) barrier layer of 500 angstroms/In x Ga 1-x As (x = 0.33) well layer of 250 angstroms were deposited (10Å=1nm). Here, E A was 4.42 eV, E B was 5.25 eV, E c was 4.02 eV and E D was 5.52 eV. As described with reference to Fig. 3, the well layer had a tensile strain of 1. 5 %. Thereafter, 0.5 µm of a p-type InP cap layer 16 was deposited. In order to form an n - -type guard ring region 17, Si of 1 x 10 13 cm -2 was ion-implanted up to the depth of 3000 angstroms at the accelerating voltage of 100 kV to obtain an area having a density of 5 x 10 16 cm -3 . Likewise, in order to form an n + -type light receptive area 18, Si of 1 x 10 14 cm -2 was ion-implanted up to the depth of 0.5 µm at the accelerating voltage of 200 kV to obtain an area having a density of 1 x 10 18 cm -3 . Further, 1500 angstroms of a passivation film was formed and, as an n-side electrode 10, 1500 angstroms of AuGe/Ni and 500 angstroms of TiPtAu were deposited. In addition, as a p-side electrode 9, 1500 angstroms of Auzn was deposited. In an APD thus made, a wide bandwidth, low noise and high response characteristic was obtained having an ionization factor ratio (α /β ) of 50, a maximum cut-off frequency of 8 GHz and a quantum efficiency of 80 %. Example 2 Except that, as the avalanche multiplier layer 15, one having 16 cycles of the In y Al 1-y As (y = 0.45) barrier layer 400 angstroms/In x Ga 1-x , As (x =0.53) well layer 200 angstroms was formed, an APD having the arrangement as shown in Fig. 2 was made in the same manner as in the above-described example 1. In this APD, E A was 4.63 eV, E B was 5.41 eV, E c was 3.99 eV and E D was 5.62 eV. As described with reference to Fig. 5, the barrier layer of this APD had a tensile strain of 0.5 %. In the APD thus made, a wide bandwidth, low noise and high response characteristic was obtained having an ionization factor ratio (α /β ) of 50, a maximum cut-off frequency of 12GHz and a quantum efficiency of 70 %. Example 3 Except that, as the avalanche multiplier layer 15, one comprising 16 cycles of the In y Al 1-y As (y = 0.59) barrier layer 400 angstroms/In x Ga 1-x , As (x = 0.53) well layer 200 angstroms was formed, an APD having the arrangement as shown in Fig. 2 was made in the same manner as in the above-described example 1. In this APD, E A was 4.63 eV, E B was 5.41 eV, E c was 4.24 eV and E D was 5.57 eV. As described with reference to Fig. 6, the barrier layer of this APD had a compressive strain of 0.5 %. In the APD thus made, a wide bandwidth, low noise and high response characteristic was obtained having an ionization factor ratio (α /β ) of 40, a maximum cut-off frequency of 13 GHz and a quantum efficiency of 70 %. Example 4 Except that, as the avalanche multiplier layer 15, one having 16 cycles of an In y Al 1-y As (y = 0.595) barrier layer 400 angstroms/In x Ga 1-x As (x = 0.458) well layer 200 angstroms was made, an APD having the arrangement as shown in Fig. 2 was made in the same manner as in the above-described Example 1. In this APD, E A was 4.59 eV, E B was 5.38 eV, E c was 4.24 eV, and E D was 5.56 eV. As described with reference to Fig. 7, the well layer of this APD had a tensile strain of 0.5 %, and the barrier layer had a compressive strain of 0.5 %. In the APD thus made, a wide bandwidth, low noise and high response characteristic was obtained having an Ionization factor ratio ( α /β ) of 7, a maximum cut-off frequency of 13 GHz, a GE product of 100 GHz and a quantum efficiency of 75 %. Example 5 Except that, as the avalanche multiplier layer 15, one comprising 16 cycles of the In y Al 1-y As (y = 0.447) barrier layer 400 angstroms/In x Ga 1-x As (x = 0.458) well layer 200 angstroms was formed, an APD having the arrangement as shown in Fig. 2 was made in the same manner as in the above-described example 1. In this APD, E A was 4.59 eV, E B was 5.38 eV, E c was 3.99 eV, and E D was 5.62 eV. As described with reference to Fig. 6, both the well layer and the barrier layer of this APD each had a tensile strain of 0.5 %. In the APD thus made, a wide bandwidth, low noise and high response characteristic was obtained having an ionization factor ratio (α /β ) of 10, a maximum cut-off frequency of 15 GHz, a GB product of 110 GHz and a quantum efficiency of 75 %. Example 6 Except that, as the barrier layer of the avalanche multiplier layer 15, one comprising the layer of 250 angstroms for preventing the electron from passing through and the multiple quantum barrier, which comprises 5 cycles of the In y Al 1-y As (y = 0.52) quantum barrier layer 30 angstroms/In x Ga 1-x As (x = 0.33) quantum well layer 20 angstroms, an APD having the arrangement as shown in Fig. 2 was made in the same manner as in the above-described example 1. In this APD, E A was 4.42 eV, E B was 5.25 eV, E c was 4.02 eV, E D was 5.52 eV, E g A was 0.83 eV and E gC was 1.50 eV. As described with reference to Fig. 9 the well layer of this APD had a tensile strain of 1.5 %. Example 6 shows an embodiment of the present invention. In the APD thus made, a wide bandwidth, low noise and high response characteristic was obtained having an ionization factor ratio (α /β ) of 110, a maximum cut-off frequency of 8 GHz and a quantum efficiency of 80 %. As described above, according to the semiconductor photodetector of the present invention, it is possible to increase Δ E C to improve the ionization factor ratio, or lessen Δ Ev to alleviate the pile-up of the hole, or lighten the effective mass of the hole within the well layer and/or the barrier layer to shorten the traveling time of the hole. In addition, by using ones including the multiple quantum barrier as the avalanche multiplier layer, the effective Δ E C can be increased so that the ionization factor ratio can be further increased. In consequence, a semiconductor photodetector having a wide bandwidth highly sensitive, low noise and high response characteristic can be realized.

Claims: Semiconductor photodetector comprising a light absorbing layer (14) and a superlattice avalanche multiplier layer (15) on a semiconductor substrate (12), said superlattice avalanche multiplier layer (15) comprises well layers and barrier layers disposed altemately with respect to the movement of electrons, the lower end of the conduction band in said well layer being lower than that in said barrier layer; wherein each well layer is formed of a first Ill-V group compound semiconductor and has a tensile strain ; and each barrier layer consists of a first barrier portion of a second III-V group compound semiconductor (21) and a second barrier portion of a multiple quantum barrier (22), said multiple quantum barrier (22) being a short period superlattice structure of a III-V group compound quantum barrier layer and a III-V group compound quantum well layer which are disposed altemately to achieve an effective increase of the barrier height, and said second barrier portion (22) being situated downstream of said first barrier portion with respect to the movement of electrons. Semiconductor photodetector as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said quantum barrier layer has a thickness which is less than the thickness of said barrier layer, each of said quantum well layer has a thickness which is less than the thickness of said well layer. Semiconductor photodetector as set forth in claim 1, wherein said strain is selected so that the difference between the energies at the lower end of the conduction bands of said well and said barrier layers becomes larger than in a case in which none of the layers exhibit strain. Semiconductor photodetector as set forth in claim 1, wherein said strain is selected so that the difference between the energies at the upper end of the valence bands of said well and said barrier layers becomes smaller than in a case in which none of the layers exhibit strain. Semiconductor photodetector as set forth in claim 1, wherein said strain is selected so that the effective mass of a hole within said well and/or barrier layers becomes lighter than in a case in which none of the layers exhibit strain.

Inventors: MAKITA KIKUO, TSUJI MASAYOSHI, MAKITA, KIKUO, TSUJI, MASAYOSHI, MAKITA, KIKUO, C/O NEC CORPORATION, Tsuji, Masayoshi, c/o NEC Corporation
Applicants: NIPPON ELECTRIC CO, NEC CORPORATION
Application year: 1992
Main classification: H01L31
IPC codes: H01L31