Jn. Haralson et al., NUMERICAL-SIMULATION OF AVALANCHE BREAKDOWN WITHIN INP-INGAAS SAGCM STANDOFF AVALANCHE PHOTODIODES, Journal of lightwave technology, 15(11), 1997, pp. 2137-2140
The breakdown location within a planar InP/In0.53Ga0.47As (InGaAs) sep
arate absorption, grading, charge sheet, and multiplication (SAGCM) av
alanche photodiode (APD), using the standoff breakdown suppression des
ign to replace guard rings, depends on the two-dimensional (2-D) geome
try of the Zn diffused well, Since the geometry of this p(+) diffusion
is dependent upon the surface etch, the effects of varying the etch d
epth (t(standoff)) and length of the sloped etch edge (w(slope)) are s
tudied using a two-dimensional drift-diffusion simulator, It is determ
ined that the etch depth brackets a region where center breakdown domi
nance is possible, To ensure center breakdown within this region it is
concluded that there is a maximum value that the slope of the etch wa
lls must not exceed.