High-sensitive GaAs photodetector in the range of 0.6 to 1.6μm

Strong influence of electric and magnetic fields in the impurity region on the spectral response of GaAs PSN structures was observed. Photocurrent of the samples in this spectral region is connected with the presence of deep-level donor-like centers in the S-region of the structure with the activation energy Et = 0.75 eV and symmetry Γ6. An exponential increase of the photocurrent in the impurity spectral region was observed with increasing forward potential throughout PSN structure. This effect can be explained by impact ionization of deep-level centers. Thus, the GaAs PSN structures can be used as detectors of radiation in spectral region of 0.6 μm, i.e. region used in optical communications. The photosensitivity in the impurity spectral region decreases strongly with increasing magnetic field. The effect is explained by the decrease of electron mean free path and/or by the decrease of corresponding ionization length under the influence of magnetic field