Effect of substrate illumination on the characteristics of an ion implanted GaAs OPFET

N.S.Roy, B.B.Pal and R.U.Khan

Abstract: An analytical model of an ion-implanted GaAs MESFET has been developed considering the illumination from the substrate. The ion-implanted profile of the channel region is represented by Pearson IV distribution. Modulation of the channel opening due to the internal photovoltage has been considered. The I-V characteristics, the photocurrent, the internal photovoltage and the transconductance of the device have been calculated and discussed. The substrate doping concentration is found to affect the overall drain-source current under illumination, which indicates a significant substrate affect on the device characteristics. The illumination also enhances the dram current of the MESFET compared to that in the dark. The I-V characteristics, transfer characteristics and the ratio of drain currents under illumination and in the dark have been plotted and discussed.

1 Introduction

The GaAs OPFET (optically controlled MESFET) has received much attention due to its potential application as a high-speed optical transducer [ 11. In optical control of the MESFET device there is a considerable advantage in obtaining electrical isolation and immunity from electromagnetic interference. Moreover, optical injection provides an extra terminal to the device without any decoupling structure. In recent years, significant investigations have been carried out on the photosensitivity of MESFETs. An experimental and theoretical characterisation of a GaAs MESFET under illumination, with emphasis on photovoltaic effects, was carried out by de Salles [2]. The effect of optical radiation on an ion-implanted GaAs OPFET incorporating the effect of surface traps was reported by Mishra et al. [3]. The photovoltaic and photogeneration effect due to incident radiation in a GaAs OPFET was studied by Pal and Chattopadhyay [4]. However, in all the above studies the device was illuminated from the front. Moreover, the ion-implanted profile of the device was represented by a symmetric Gaussian distribution. The substrate current is an important parameter in the operation of an OPFET. Madjar et al. [ 5 ] have presented the analytical model for the optically generated current in a GaAs MESFET, where the effect of substrate current due to optical generation has been included (with front illumination). Substrate current may increase the sensitivity of an OPFET depending on the substrate concentration. This also develops the internal photovoltage across the chan-

nel-substrate junction. To get a better idea of the substrate effect and the enhanced device operation of the OPFET, we propose here to study the optical effect of a MESFET under back illumination. Further, we consider the ionimplanted profile in the channel to be represented by the Pearson 1V distribution [6] which fits the experimental profile more closely compared to the Gaussian profile, as shown in Fig. 1. Chattopadhyay and Pal [7] have presented the ion implanted Si MESFET characteristics, considering the distribution as an error function followed by an exponential function. However, Pearson IV distribution is found to more accurately represent the ion-implanted profile. In this model, the fibre is inserted partially into the substrate and the incident radiation is allowed to fall from the back of the device (Fig. 2). The contributions of current in the substrate and other regions have been calculated for the output characteristics of the device.

Theory

0 LEE, 2000 IEE Proceedings online no. 20000387

DOZ: 10.1049/ip-opt:20000387 Paper first received 30th October 1998 and in revised form 21st January 2000 The authors are with the Department of Electronics Engineering, Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-22 1005, India
IEE Proc.-Optoelectron., Vol. 147, No. 3, June 2000

The device structure is shown in Fig. 2. The incident radiation is absorbed in the neutral substrate region, the active layer-substrate depletion region and the channels neutral and depletion regions. Electron-hole pairs are generated in all these regions. The photogenerated electrons move towards the channel and the holes move in the opposite direction. The excess electrons thus modify the channel current considerably. In the neutral region, the carriers flow owing to diffusion and recombination in the absence of any drain-source voltage and in the depletion regions, the carriers flow owing to drift and recombination. An applied voltage between the source and the drain makes the electrons reach the drain along the x-direction. The semi-insulating substrate is considered to be uniformly doped with Cr and behaves as a p-type material [8]. The active layer has an ion-implanted profile and is represented by the Pearson IV distribution
237

E, and E, are the energies at which B is maximum and zero, respectively, and Bo is a constant equal to 3.0s 10-43. Under dark conditions, the drain current is contributed to by the majority of carriers (electrons) in the channel. The illumination generates excess carriers and the numbers are obtained by solving the DC, continuity equations for electrons and holes, given by
4 d Y

respectively, where J, and Jp are the electron and hole current densities represented by:

depth, pn

Fig. 1 Different models for ion-implanted doping profile of a Si-doped

GaAs MESFET LSS _ _ _ theory -x- experimental Pearson IV
~

In the above equations, different terms have the same meaning, as given in [lo]. The drain current is contributed to by carriers from ion implantation and optical generation in the channel, substrate and depletion regions. Thus
'dram

= 'ion

+ 'ch + 'dep + Isub

In this presentation, we follow the model similar to that for high pinch off MESFET devices [ l l ] . The procedure followed is given below. The drain-source current is expressed as

source

gate

drain

Is

n+

n-GaAs

rd

n+

semi-insulatingsubstrate

I1

Id, = I,,, ( 1
where

+ 3, VJ tan v V,
+

(4)

K.(the input voltage) = Vd, - Isat(rs rd)

(5a) (5b)

v = Gch /'sat;

Gch

t=1.0 pm

being the channel conductance and /z = 0.025 per volt for GaAs [ 1 I]. r, and r, are the source and drain resistance, respectively. The saturation current is defined as
I,,, = I,,[K
-

( K~1

+ U,,)'/*]

(6)

where

(5
Fig. 2 Schematic structure of ion-implanted GaAs OPFET illuminated
from the substrate

K =1
and

(g)

The Pearson IV distribution is given by [9]

Vpobeing the pinch-off voltage. Ich is the channel current and is calculated from the gradual channel approximation.
where Q is the implanted dose, o is the straggle parameter, Rp is the projected range and
2. I Current due to ion implantation The channel charge due to ion implantation applying the Pearson IV distribution of impurities is given by

238

IEE Proc.-Optoelectron., Vol. 147, No. 3, June 2000

where

With the above boundary condition, eqn. 12 is solved to obtain the photogenerated electron concentration in the substrate neutral region as

r
where ydg is the extension of the gate-depletion region measured from the surface and is written as

The corresponding charge density is

yds, is the modified value of yd,$ (the extension of the

depletion region of the n-p junction in the channel also measured from the surface) due to the internal photovoltage and is written as

+
D n (2 '
The photovoltaic drop across the Schottky gate depletion region has been ignored considering the gate resistance to be negligible [12]. The channel current due to ion implantation is obtained using the relation, The current as

4
-

$)

{ 1 - exp[--u(t

YJII

(15)

lsub

is calculated using eqn. 10 and is written

Substituting Qion from eqn. 8 in eqn. 10 we obtain the expression for the channel current due to ion-implantation as

where I , , I*, I3 and I4 are given in the Appendix, (Section 6).

2.2 Current due to photogeneration When light is incident from the substrate, absorption is maximum at the surface of the substrate and the generation rate is assumed to decrease exponentially with distance, given by

where I, and I6 are given in the Appendix, (Section 6) Neutral active region: For this region, the boundary condition at y=ydg is
npbdg)

exp[--a(t

-~dg)l

and is used to solve eqn. 12 to obtain the photogenerated carrier concentration

where t is the device thickness, I$ is the incident photon flux density and -a is the absorption coefficient in GaAs material. y = 0 is taken at the Schottky junction.
2.2.1. Neutral regions: In the neutral regions there is no field and eqn. 2a takes the form

The charge developed due to generated carriers in this region is

Neutral substrate region: At y = t, the intensity of illumination is maximum and the boundary condition for electrons is given by
n, = n , ,

exp(
CI~Z,

-91
-

where nno is the number of minority carriers per unit volume in the substrate region.
IEE Proc.-Optoelectron., Vol. 147, No. 3, June 2000

The channel current due to these carriers is

The contribution towards the channel current is calculated as

(26) where I,, is given in the Appendix, (Section 6). Depletion region 1 1 1 : In this region, the charge developed is obtained as where I7 - I, and I9 are given in the Appendix, (Section 6). In eqns. 16 and 17. yds is the extension of the depletion region of the n-p junction in the channel measured from the channel surface and is expressed as exp[-a(t -

(27)
In eqn. 27

2.2.2. Depletion regions: In the depletion regions, the continuity equation is a first-order differential equation given by

where y,,> is the extension of the depletion layer in the substrate region measured from the surface, and

Depletion region below the gate (depletion region I): The number of carriers generated in this region per unit volume is obtained by solving eqn. 20. Assuming the coefficient of an exponentially decreasing function withy to be zero from the physical conditions (due to back illumination) the photogenerated electrons in the gate-depletion region are given by

Eqn. 27 contributes to the channel current in the form

r

Hence the charge in the channel is calculated as

(28) where I,, is given in the Appendix, (Section 6). The total channel current is the summation of eqns. 11, 16, 19, 23, 26 and 28. The drain current is then calculated using relations in eqns. 4, Sa, 56, 6, 7a and 7b. In eqn. 9b, the photovoltage Vophas been calculated using the relation

The corresponding channel current is obtained as

4Tn
-

where JJa) is the excess hole-current density crossing the junction at y = a and p(a) is the corresponding hole concentration. J, is the minority carrier density and is given by
~ 1

&nvD

aV,T,)

'Io

(1 - C(V,T,)

exp(-at)

";""

J, =
,

4DpPn0
~

LD

where I,,, I , , are given in the Appendix, (Section 6). Depletion region at the active-layer-substrate junction: At the active-layer-substrate junction there are two depletion 1 which is extended at the active regions: depletion region 1 layer from y =ydS to y = a and depletion region 111 at the substrate region extending from y = a to y =y,. Both of these regions being in the interior of the device, the surface recombination term is absent for these cases. Hence the number of carriers generated per unit volume is

2.3 Transconductance The transconductance of the device is calculated using the relation

gm

I$[

V,S constant

Numerical calculations have been carried out for photocurrents, transfer characteristics and the drain-source current of the device. 3
Results and discussion

Depletion region 1 1 : The charge across this region will be

The different device parameters used in the calculation are: 0=0.383 x 10V7m, Rp=0.861 x 10-7m, pn=0.85m2 v-I s p l , p p = 0 . 0 4 m 2 V - 1 s p l , z=300 x 10W6m, a = 1 . 0 x 1o6m-l, T , = I . O X 10p6s, z , = ~ . o x~ o - * s , v = L=S.O x 10- m, 2.5 x lo5 m s p l , t= 1.0 x 10-6m, a = 0 . 2 5 x 10W6m, A=00.02eV, &=0.9eV, E ~ =

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IEE Proc.-Optoelectron., Vol. 147, No. 3, June 2000

1.04335 x lO-''Fm-' , n,= 1.0 x 1022m-2, kp=3.1 x m3 S - I , V p = 3.5 m3 S - ' , kn = 3.1 X Vbs = 0.Oy r,=6.3 0, rd=11.6 R, i = 0 . 0 2 5 v-', P n o = l O , NA = 1 x lo2' m-' The ion implanted profile is represented by Pearson IV distribution as shown in Fig. 1. Due to back illumination of the device, the role of the substrate becomes important. Substrate doping controls the photocurrent as well as the total current. There are two photovoltages developed across the two junctions. The channel-substrate junction develops the intemal photovoltage and the Schottky junction develops the external photovoltage. For the present case, the external photovoltage is neglected assuming the gate metal resistance to be small. Fig. 3 shows the plot of photocurrent against Vdr for different flux densities. The saturation of the current is obtained owing to the particular model we have assumed, unlike earlier results from front illumination [4], where the photocurrent changes linearly with Vds. Fig. 4 represents the plot of I-V curves for different substrate concentrations having a substrate thickness of 0.75 pm. Substrate concentration increases the current significantly. With the increase in substrate concentration the depletion region thickness of the substrate junction will be reduced and the thickness of the substrate-neutral region will increase. This enhances the substrate current due to photogeneration significantly.
C 10

Fig. 5 shows the transfer characteristics of the device showing drain-source current versus gate-source voltage in the dark and under different flux densities. Current increases as the device switches from depletion to enhancement. However, the slope or the transconductance is found to be independant of flux density, unlike the case of front illumina12.16 10.16 -

2 8.16 U v1 -

6.16 4.16. 2.16 -

'ds

Fig. 5 Drain-source current against gate-source voltugefor d@erentjux

densities, Vds = 2.0V

'

10

4
j

10

-2

g
3

$=lo m s
-2

20

-2 -1

,o e 10 a

10

10 10

20

21

10
-2 -1

10
$,m s

22

5x1 0

22

0.4

0.8

1.2

1.6

2.0
"ds

Fig. 3 Photocurrent versus drain-source voltage for dijj'erentjux densities, VEs = 0.OV

'

2.4

2.8

3.2

3.6

4.0

Fig. 6 Ratio of drain-source current under illumination and in the dark

against flux densit?,for diffkrent drain-source voltages, Vgs= 0.0 V

0.95 -

4.8 4.6 4.4 4.2

E
m

0.90 >
m ai

0.85 -

4.0 3.8 3.6

0.7OY

3.4 0.4

0.8

1.2

1.6

2.0
'ds

Fig. 4 I-V Characteristics for different doping concentrations substrate at zero gate voltage, Vg3=O.Oy 4 = lO*"m-*s-'
IEE Proc.-Optoelectron , Vol. 147, No. 3, June 2000

'

2.4

2.8

3.2

3.6

4.0
o f the

10

18

10

19

10

20

10

21

10

22

-2 -1

$,m s

Fig. 7 Internal photovoltage vwsus flux density at zero gate-source

voltage, Vgs= 0.0 V

24 1

tion [4]. This is because the external photovoltage across the Schottky junction has been neglected as the gate resistance is considered to be negligible. Fig. 6 represents the plot of the ratio of the drain-source current under illumination to that in the dark against flux density for different drain-source voltages. It is observed that at a drain-source voltage of 2V, the ratio is 10 for a flux This indicates that the output current density of 5 x 1022m3. of the MESFET under illumination can be enhanced by more than ten times compared to that in the dark. Fig. 7 represents the plot of internal photovoltage as a function of flux density for different drain-source voltages, v d s . The photovoltage is found to vary logarithmically with flux density. It also varies with drain-source voltage because the depletion layer thickness changes with v d s . The variation is similar to that obtained experimentally for internal photovoltages by Madjar et al. [ 5 ] .

1
--

(erf

U;

- erf a3)

1 + -(a;

fi

a3)

Conclusion

and

Theoretical investigations on the DC analytical model of an ion implanted GaAs MESFET under back illumination has been carried out. Pearson IV distribution is assumed for the implanted profile. The substrate current significantly enhances the device performance. The transconductance of the device does not depend on the optical effect in the present model.

In the above expressions:

5
1

References
BAACK, C.: &As MESFET : a high speed optical detector, Electron Lett.. 1977. 13. (7). ut). 193 SALLES, DE. O&cal control of CaAs MESFETs, IEEE Trans Microw. Theory Tech., 1983, MTT-31, (IO), pp. 812-820 MISHRA, S., SINGH, VK., and PAL, B.B.: Effect of radiation and surface recombination on the characteristics of ion-implanted GaAs MESFET, IEEE Trcms. Elecrron. Devices, 1990, 37, (l), pp. 2-10 PAL. B.B., and CHATTOPADHYAY. S.N.: GaAs OPFET characteristics considering the effect on gate depletion modulation due to incident radiation, IEEE Trans. Electron. Devices, 1992,39, (5), pp. 1021-1027 MADJAR, A., HEREZFELD, P.R., and PAOLLELA, A.: Analytical model for optically generated currents in GaAs MESFETs, IEEE Trans. Microw. Theory Tech., 1992, 40, (8), pp. 1681-1691 SELBERHERR, S.: Analysis and simulation of semiconductor devices (Springer-Verlag Wiet, New York, 1984) CHATTOPADHYAY, S.N., and PAL, B.B.: Analytical modelling of Si MESFET in post annealing condition, IEEE Truns. Electron. Devices, 1989,36, pp:81-87 DILORENZO, J.V, and KHANDEL WAL, D.D.: GaAs FET principles and technology (Book Crafters, United States of America, 1985) SHARMA, Y.D., HALDER, S., THOMAS, C., and GUPTA, R.S.: New threshold voltage model for an ion implanted GaAs MESFET. Proceedings of VIIIth Intemational Workshop on Semiconductor devices, 1995, New Delhi, pp. 138-140 SZE, S.M.: Physics of semiconductor devices 2nd edn. (Wiley Eastem Limited, 1983) SHUR, Micheal: GaAs devices and circuits (Plenum, New York, 1987) DARLING, R.B., and PUYEMURA, J.: Optical gain and large signal characteristics of illuminated GaAs MESFETs, IEEE 1 Quantum Electron., 1987, 23, (7), pp. 1160-1 171
a2 = y ___ d g - Rp

when V = V, when V = VD

oz/z
a3

3
4 5

Ydg
~

- Rp

o1/2 V being the channel voltage. In eqn. 16, the channel current due to the substrate region has the terms I, and 16,expressed as

7
8 9

+ b w Iv=vo -

10
11

12

6 Appendix
The channel current due to ion implantation is given by eqn. 1 1 in which The current contribution by the neutral active region has been given by eqn. 19 in which

+ 1 [erf a2
-

erf

U;)

+~ 1 (
2 f i

a- a ; 2)

1
IEE Proc.-Optoelectron., Vol. 147, No. 3, June 2000

242

+
e

qNA

m exp( -

2)
1

exp (a

+ &)k exp(a +

k-k

In the expressions for Z7,Z8 and Z9 kl = ydg when V = 0; ml = yds when V = 0;

k2 = ydg when V = VD and ml = yds when V = VD

IEE Proc.-Optoelectron., Vol. 147, No. 3, June 2000

243