Study of photocurrent properties of GaN ultraviolet photoconductor grown on 6H-SiC substrate

The properties of a photoconductive ultraviolet detector based on a GaN epilayer grown on a 6H-SiC substrate using metal-organic chemical Vapor deposition were investigated. We obtained the detectable energy span of the device up to the ultraviolet region by photocurrent measurement. The spectral responsivity remained nearly constant for wavelengths ranging from 250 to 365 nm and dropped by three orders of magnitude within 15 nm of the band edge from 365 nm to 380 nm. The detector was measured to have a responsivity of 133 A/W at a wavelength of 360 nm under a 5 V bias, and the voltage-dependent responsivity was evatuated. Furthermore, a convenient method to determine the response time was developed. The relationship between response time and bias was obtained.