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A GaAs metal-semiconductor-metal photodetector fabricated in a symmetrical and interdigital Schottky contact structure on a semi-insulating GaAs substrate is discussed. The device exhibits a high-speed response and a very low dark current, even with a moderate size (200 mu m/sup 2/). Ultrafast responsivity is due to the high drift velocity of the photoelectrons and low capacitance. A design theory for optimum performance which includes a compromise between the circuit time constant and the transit time is described. >

A photodetector having a sensitivity only in a narrow-wavelength region has been fabricated by utilizing a thick semi-insulating GaAs (SI GaAs). Because the photon energy at the peak response is nearly equal to the bandgap energy of GaAs, this detector is called a band-edge-emphasizing photodetector. A theory is proposed to explain this phenomenon. Since GaAs is characterized by a short carrier lifetime and a steep change of the absorption coefficient, the active layer is assumed to be composed of two different parts connected in series, which are specified by a function delta . Good agreement has been shown between the experimental and the theoretical results on the sensitivity characteristics. >

A novel optoelectronic half-adder logic, composed of only two GaAs metal-semiconductor-metal photodetectors (MSM-PDs), is reported. The optoelectronic logic utilizes the features of the MSM-PD for both polarities of electrical bias (positive and negative). Without any other active devices such as transistors, the output delay time is short, less than 100 ps for the entire half-adder operation, which assures a very fast arithmetic operation. >

We have studied the zero-order transmission of periodic germanium (Ge) subwavelength arrays in an infrared range by using finite-difference time-domain simulations. A special wavelength-selective peak in a triangular hole array of Ge film is observed with an enhanced transmission accompanied by a drastic suppression nearby, which cannot be found in a one-dimensional Ge subwavelength array and is different from the extraordinary transmission related to surface plasmons in a metal film. The electromagnetic field is found to be concentrated on both surfaces of the Ge film at this peak. The unique transmission is verified through measurements on fabricated samples and is interpreted using the photonic band structure.

Using finite-difference-time-domain simulation, we have studied the near-field effect of Germanium (Ge) subwavelength arrays designed in-plane with a normal incidence. Spectra of vertical electric field component normal to the surface show pronounced resonance peaks in an infrared range, which can be applied in a quantum well infrared photodetector. Unlike the near-field optics in metallic systems that are commonly related to surface plasmons, the intense vertical field along the surface of the Ge film can be interpreted as a combination of diffraction and waveguide theory. The existence of the enhanced field is confirmed by measuring the Fourier transform infrared spectra of fabricated samples. The positions of the resonant peaks obtained in experiment are in good agreement with our simulations.

A peculiar photoconductive property with a positive temperature coefficient in a semi-insulating GaAs photodiode is found in the room temperature range. Also, the low-light-level photoconductivity is higher than usual. We suggest that an ionised-impurity scattering mechanism is dominant. Theoretical responsivity is compared with the measured value