GaInNAs metal-semiconductor-metal near-infrared photodetectors

Fabrication of metal-semiconductor-metal near-infrared photodetectors with 0.4 μm-thick GaInNAs absorption layer was demonstrated. Better crystal quality and fewer dislocations were obtained from samples with lower nitrogen content based on the results of photoluminescence and high-resolution X-ray diffraction. The absorption edge located at 1.2 μm under 4 V bias was realised owing to the nitrogen incorporation effect, and the responsivity of GaInNAs MSM photodetectors higher than 60 mA/w was also successfully achieved when compared to other conventional InGaAs detectors. The devices, hereby demonstrated believably, should have potential applications in fibre optics communications.