Effect of interface trapping on the frequency response of a photodetector

In this article, the effect of carrier trapping at the heterointerface of a p-i-n photodetector (PD) on the frequency response and, hence, on the transit-time limited bandwidth of the PD has been investigated. The effective height of the potential barrier at the valence-band and conduction-band interfaces has been calculated as a function of bias voltage and grading layer thickness taking Al0.2Ga0.8As/GaAs structure as an example. It is shown …