Si based GeSn photoconductors with a 1.63 A/W peak responsivity and a 2.4 μm long-wavelength cutoff

Thin-film Ge0.9Sn0.1 structures were grown by reduced-pressure chemical vapor deposition and were fabricated into photoconductors on Si substrates using a CMOS-compatible process. The temperature-dependent responsivity and specific detectivity (D*) were measured from 300 K down to 77 K. The peak responsivity of 1.63 A/W measured at 1.55 μm and 77 K indicates an enhanced responsivity due to photoconductive gain. The measured spectral response of these devices extends to 2.4 μm at 300 K, and to 2.2 μm at 77 K. From analysis of the carrier drift and photoconductive gain measurements, we have estimated the carrier lifetime of this Ge0.9Sn0.1 thin film. The longest measured effective carrier lifetime of 1.0 × 10−6 s was observed at 77 K.