Characterization of Predictable Quantum Efficient Detector over a wide range of incident optical power and wavelength

TL;DR

This study characterizes the Predictable Quantum Efficient Detector (PQED) across visible and near-infrared wavelengths, revealing how charge carrier losses vary with wavelength and bias voltage, enhancing understanding of its performance.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method of analyzing normalized photocurrents on a logarithmic scale and compares charge carrier losses at different wavelengths, advancing detector characterization techniques.

Findings

Normalized photocurrents show two negative slope regions.

Charge carrier losses depend on wavelength and bias voltage.

Penetration depth differences influence charge loss mechanisms.

Abstract

We investigate the Predictable Quantum Efficient Detector (PQED) in the visible and near-infrared wavelength range. The PQED consists of two n-type induced junction photodiodes with $Al_2O_3$ entrance window. Measurements are performed at the wavelengths of 488 nm and 785 nm with incident power levels ranging from 100 ${\mu}$W to 1000 ${\mu}$W. A new way of presenting the normalized photocurrents on a logarithmic scale as a function of bias voltage reveals two distinct negative slope regions and allows direct comparison of charge carrier losses at different wavelengths. The comparison indicates mechanisms that can be understood on the basis of different penetration depths at different wavelengths (0.77 ${\mu}$m at 488 nm and 10.2 ${\mu}$m at 785 nm). The difference in the penetration depths leads also to larger difference in the charge-carrier losses at low bias voltages than at high voltages due to the voltage dependence of the depletion region.