Low dark current broadband 360-1650 nm ITO/Ag/n-Si Schottky photodetectors.

This work designed an ITO/Ag/n-Si Schottky photodetector with broad wavelength detection and low dark current. The introduction of Ag interfacial layer and post rapid thermal annealing dramatically increase the barrier height of ITO/n-Si Schottky diode by 0.32 eV, leading to the 2300 × reduction of dark current. A well-behaved ITO/Ag (8 nm)/n-Si Schottky diode with a high rectification ratio ( ± 1 V) of 4 × 10 and low dark current (-1 V) of 9.2 nA was achieved. Such low dark current device spontaneously provides high sensitivity for visible/near infrared wavelength detection, in which substantial responsivity for wavelengths from 360 to 1650 nm was realized through both inter-band and internal photoemission. The design here provides an encouraging strategy for monolithically integrated pure Si photodetectors operating at long wavelength up to 1650 nm.