Photodetection Properties of ZnO/Si Heterojunction Diode: A Simulation Study

This article reports simulation study and performance analysis of ZnO/Si heterojunction-based UV-visible photodetector. Different electrical and optical parameters such as energy band diagram, electric field profile, dark current, quantum efficiency, responsivity, detectivity, and noise equivalent power of ZnO/Si heterojunction-based photodetector have been simulated as a function of device thickness, operating wavelength, and applied reverse bias voltage. The simulation software ATLAS (TM) in SILVACO package is used to describe the effect of ZnO/Si interface properties on its photodetection. The value obtained for external quantum efficiency, responsivity, and specific detectivity for ZnO/Si heterojunction-based photodetector were similar to 93%, 0.36 A/W, and 7.2 x 10(10) cm Hz(1/2) W-1, respectively. The estimated values for dark current and noise equivalent power were of the order of 10(-14) A and 10(-11) W, respectively.