ABSTRACTThis paper presents UV imaging results for a 256×256 AlGaN Focal Plane Array that uses a back-illuminated AlGaN heterostructure p-i-n photodiode array, with 30×30 μm2 unit cells, operating at zero bias voltage, with a narrow-band UV response between 310 and 325 nm. The 256×256 array was fabricated from a multilayer AlGaN film grown by MOCVD on a sapphire substrate. The UV response operability (>0.4×average) was 94.8%, and the UV response uniformity (σ/μ) was 16.8%. Data are also presented for back-illuminated AlGaN p-i-n photodiodes from other films with cutoff wavelengths ranging between 301 and 364 nm. Data for variable-area diagnostic arrays of p-i-n AlGaN photodiodes with a GaN absorber (cutoff=364 nm) show: (1) high external quantum efficiency (50% at V=0 and 62% at V=-9 V); (2) the dark current is proportional to junction area, not perimeter; (3) the forward and reverse currents are uniform (σ/μ=50% for forty 30×30 μm2 diodes at V=−40 V); (4) the reverse-bias dark current data versus temperature and bias voltage can be fit very well by a hopping conduction model; and (5) capacitance versus voltage data are consistent with nearly full depletion of the unintentionally-doped 0.4 μm thick GaN absorber layer and imply a donor concentration of 3-4×1016 cm−3.
