Self-aligned semiconductor ridges in metallic slits as a platform for planar tunable nanoscale resonant photodetectors

摘要

A photodetector having a ridge-in-slit geometry is provided, where a semiconductor ridge is laterally sandwiched in a metallic slit. This assembly is disposed on a layer of semiconducting material, which in turn is disposed on an insulating substrate. These structures can provide efficient resonant detectors having the wavelength of peak response set by the ridge width. Thus a lateral feature defines the wavelength of peak responsivity, as opposed to a vertical feature.

主权项

1. A photodetector comprising:
an insulating substrate; a semiconducting layer disposed on the insulating substrate; a semiconducting ridge disposed on the layer; two metal terminals disposed on the semiconducting layer and also disposed to laterally sandwich the semiconducting ridge, wherein the semiconducting ridge has a ridge width separating the metal terminals; wherein optical illumination of the semiconducting ridge provides an electrical detector response at the two metallic terminals; wherein a free space wavelength of peak detector response λp is determined by the ridge width.