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Planar InAs avalanche photodiodes with high gain and low noise factor
Optics Express
|May 4, 2026
Summary
Indium Arsenide (InAs) avalanche photodiodes (APDs) offer an eco-friendly and cost-effective alternative to Mercury Cadmium Telluride (HgCdTe) APDs. Our research demonstrates InAs APDs with low excess noise, making them a viable option for infrared optical applications.
Area of Science:
- Optoelectronics
- Semiconductor device physics
Background:
- Mercury Cadmium Telluride (HgCdTe) avalanche photodiodes (APDs) are commonly used in infrared optical applications.
- Replacing HgCdTe with Indium Arsenide (InAs) offers environmental and cost advantages.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate Indium Arsenide (InAs) APDs as a viable alternative to HgCdTe APDs.
- To characterize the performance of planar InAs APDs under high-gain conditions.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of planar InAs APDs using ion implantation.
- Characterization of device performance at 77 K under high-gain operating conditions.
Main Results:
- Achieved a very low excess noise factor (F ~ 1.4) for InAs APDs.
- Demonstrated comparable performance to HgCdTe devices at gains up to 250.
- Reported the first experimental evidence of such low excess noise in planar InAs APDs.
Conclusions:
- Planar InAs APDs are a promising alternative to HgCdTe APDs for photon-starved infrared applications.
- The demonstrated low excess noise factor signifies a significant advancement in InAs APD technology.
- InAs APDs represent a realistic and sustainable option for future optoelectronic systems.
