Characterization of HgCdTe Diodes on Si Substrates Using Temperature-Dependent Current-Voltage Measurements and Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy

Reverse current in diodes can be dominated by generation processes, depending exponentially on temperature according to the rate-limiting step in the generation process. In this report, the current-voltage-temperature (IVT) relationship is analyzed for several midwave infrared and long-wave infrared (MWIR x = 0.295, LWIR x = 0.233) Hg_1−x Cd _x Te (MCT) diodes. The energy varied from diode to diode. At high reverse biases, the energy tends toward the band gap energy. Close to zero bias, the energy ranged from 0.06 to 0.1 eV. Deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) showed a broad peak centered at 55–80 K for the MWIR MCT. Comparison of the DLTS spectrum to a simulation based on the energy and capture cross section from a rate window analysis shows that the peak is a band of traps. The capacitance transient amplitude increased as the filling pulse increased from 1 µs to 0.1 s, consistent with capture at a dislocation. A shift to lower temperatures for the peak was also observed when the diodes are cooled under forward bias. The shift is reversible, indicating that the traps consist at least partially of a bistable defect.