Photoconductive gain modelling of GaN photodetectors

Abstract

A model to explain the behaviour of GaN photoconductive detectors is proposed, and it is based on the idea of a volume modulation rather than a carrier density modulation. Space charge regions inside the semiconductor produce a variation of the conductive volume when carriers are photogenerated. The strong non-exponential photocurrent decays result from carrier capture processes over the barriers associated with space charge regions. By means of computer simulation, this model explains quite well the behaviour of current GaN photoconductor devices and predicts their time response, temperature dependence and responsivity properties.