AlxGa1−xN/GaN multi-quantum-well ultraviolet detector based on p-i-n heterostructures

We report on characterization of a set of AlGaN/GaN multiple-quantum-well (MQW) photodetectors. The model structure used in the calculation is the p–i–n heterojunction with 20 AlGaN/GaN MQW structures in i-region. The MQW structures have 2 nm GaN quantum well width and 15 nm AlxGa1−xN barrier width. The cutoff wavelength of the MQW photodetectors can be tuned by adjusting the well width and barrier height. Including the polarization field effects, on increasing Al mole fraction, the transition energy decreases, the total noise increases, and the responsivity has a red shift, and so the detectivity decreases and has a red shift.