Homoepitaxial gallium nitride based photodetector and method of producing

摘要

A photodetector ( 100, 200, 300 ) comprising a gallium nitride substrate, at least one active layer ( 104, 302 ) disposed on the substrate ( 102, 202, 306 ), and a conductive contact structure ( 106, 210, 308 ) affixed to the active layer ( 104, 302 ) and, in some embodiments, the substrate ( 102, 202, 306 ). The invention includes photodetectors ( 100, 200, 300 ) having metal-semiconductor-metal structures, P-i-N structures, and Schottky-barrier structures. The active layers ( 104, 302 ) may comprise Ga_1-x-yAl_xIn_yN_1-z-w P_zAs_w, or, preferably, Ga_1-xAl_xN. The gallium nitride substrate comprises a single crystal gallium nitride wafer and has a dislocation density of less than about 10⁵ cm^-2. A method of making the photodetector ( 100, 200, 300 ) is also disclosed.