Nitrogen ion implanted InP based photo-switch

An Indium Phosphide-based device, switched by telecommunication wavelength laser pulses capable of operating at microwave frequencies up to 15 GHz has been designed and fabricated. Initial results confirm that using high energy nitrogen ion implantation to create EL-2 type trapping levels produces a photocarrier recombination time of a few picoseconds. The ion size and mass selected produces uniform bulk point defects in an In0.53Ga0.47As light absorbing region leading to high photocurrent mobility not exhibited in heavy ion irradiated samples resulting in a reduced peak pulse power requirement to switch the device.