Metal-semiconductor-metal photodiodes based on ZnCdS/GaP wide-gap heterostructures

Good epitaxial ZnCdS layers are grown on GaP semiconductor substrates by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. The respective photodiode structures are fabricated by the metal-semiconductor-metal method, and their characteristics are studied. The diodes feature low dark currents. The bias dependence of the spectral response of the detector is determined. The long-wavelength edge of the ZnCdS/GaP diodes shifts from 355 to 440 nm as the bias voltage varies from 40 to 80 V. At the maximal photosensitivity wavelength (355 nm), the ampere/watt sensitivity of the detector is 0.1 A/W.