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Low-Noise Avalanche Photodiodes for Midwave Infrared (2 to 5 um) Applications

Award Information
Agency: Department of Defense
Branch: Air Force
Contract: FA9550-05-C-0007
Agency Tracking Number: F045-021-0231
Amount: $99,898.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: STTR
Solicitation Topic Code: AF04-T021
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2004
Award Year: 2005
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): 2004-10-21
Award End Date (Contract End Date): 2005-07-21
Small Business Information
2555 Route 130 South
Cranbury, NJ 08512
United States
DUNS: 170161595
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Mark Itzler
 Chief Technical Officer
 (609) 495-2551
 mitzler@princetonlightwave.com
Business Contact
 Mark Itzler
Title: Chief Technical Officer
Phone: (609) 495-2551
Email: mitzler@princetonlightwave.com
Research Institution
 UNIV. OF TEXAS
 Joe C Campbell
 
UT/PRC/MER #R9950, 10100 Burnet Road; Building 16
Austin, TX 78758
United States

 (512) 471-9669
 Nonprofit College or University
Abstract

In this program, we will develop room-temperature avalanche photodiodes (APDs) for midwave infrared (MWIR) applications. The internal gain of APDs results in significant improvements in optical receiver sensitivity, and APDs have been widely used for telecommunications receivers with In(0.53)Ga(0.47)As absorption regions lattice-matched to InP substrates. However, In(0.53)Ga(0.47)As is transparent to wavelengths longer than 1.65 um, and to date, APDs have not been available for the MWIR because materials that exhibit strong MWIR absorption also generate high dark currents at fields required for impact ionization. We propose a novel MWIR APD design that will maintain low noise, good responsivity, and high gain-bandwidth product. The device will employ the separate absorption, charge, and multiplication (SACM) structure widely used for telecommunications receivers coupled with several critical new design features: (1) an ultra-low-noise impact ionization engineered (I2E) multiplication region and (2) an undepleted absorber structure that will facilitate the incorporation of (3) an absorption region optimized for MWIR detection. For the absorption region, we will study Sb-based bulk materials such as InGaAsSb and InAsPSb as well as Sb-based strain-compensated quantum well structures. For the multiplication region, we will use compositions compatible with the GaSb-based absorption regions, such as AlGaAsSb, and apply these materials in the design of an I2E multiplication region.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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