We present a discussion of a new edge breakdown suppression scheme for use in planar avalanche photodiodes called the joint opening effect avalanche photodiode, JOE-APD. The JOE-APD utilizes a single growth process that achieves center breakdown dominance without the use of guard rings, partial charge sheets or surface etches. Edge breakdown suppression is achieved within the JOE-APD by partially insulating the electric field growth in the active region from the geometry of the primary well. This design methodology allows for the fabrication of a thin multiplication region, which is necessary, for APDs used in Gb/s applications. In addition the electric fields at the surface of the joint opening effect APD are reduced. An advanced drift-diffusion simulation is used to demonstrate the workings of the JOE-APD.

Date Published: 12 June 2001
PDF: 8 pages
Proc. SPIE 4288, Photodetectors: Materials and Devices VI, (12 June 2001); doi: 10.1117/12.429436

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 4288:
Photodetectors: Materials and Devices VI
Gail J. Brown; Manijeh Razeghi, Editor(s)