STATE-OF-THE-ART PERFORMANCE OF GAAIAS-GAAS AVALANCHE PHOTO-DIODES

Ga0.15Al0.85As/GaAs avalanche photodiodes have been successfully fabricated. The performance of these detectors is characterized by a rise time of less than 35 ps, an external quantum efficiency with an antireflection coating of 95% at 0.53 μm, and a microwave optical gain of 42 dB. The dark current density is in the low-10-8-A/cm2 range at one-half the breakdown voltages, and rises to 1.1×10-4 A/cm2 at 42 dB optical gain.