Diamond based photodetectors for solar-blind communication

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Optoelectronics
• Semiconductor Devices

Background:

• Solar-blind photodetectors are crucial for applications requiring detection in the ultraviolet spectrum while ignoring visible and infrared light.
• Diamond's unique properties, such as its wide bandgap and radiation hardness, make it a promising material for high-performance photodetectors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate high-performance solar-blind photodetectors using diamond wafers.
• To evaluate the performance metrics, including responsivity and response time, of the fabricated diamond photodetectors.
• To demonstrate the first application of a diamond photodetector in a solar-blind optical communication system.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of photodetectors on diamond wafers.
• Characterization of photodetector performance: peak responsivity, dark current, rise time, and decay time.
• Construction and testing of a solar-blind optical communication system using the diamond photodetector as a receiver.

Main Results:

• Achieved a peak responsivity of 13.0 A/W at 222 nm with a low dark current of 0.93 nA at 60 V bias.
• Demonstrated fast response times with rise and decay times of approximately 1.3 µs and 203 µs, respectively.
• The developed optical communication system exhibited excellent anti-interference capabilities due to the photodetector's high spectral selectivity.

Conclusions:

• The fabricated diamond photodetectors exhibit state-of-the-art performance for solar-blind applications.
• The successful integration into an optical communication system highlights the potential of diamond photodetectors for secure communication.
• These findings suggest a promising future for diamond-based solar-blind photodetectors in advanced communication technologies.