Theoretical modeling and experimental investigation of MIS radiation sensor with giant internal signal amplification

Abstract Theoretical model, experimental investigation and a discussion of novel, extremely simple metal–insulator–semiconductor (MIS) capacitor-based integrating photodetectors are presented. These sensors can be used both, as high-speed photometers and weak radiation source sensors with a giant internal amplification of an input signal. Theoretical modeling explains the giant value of the internal signal amplification (of order of 10 6 ), defined as the ratio of the readout current peak value and the instantaneous photo current mean value. The samples are fabricated on both, high resistive (2–5 kΩ cm) n-type (1 0 0) silicon substrate and on ultra high resistive (UHR) epitaxial ( Epi ) layer ( ρ >10 kΩ cm) on highly doped ( ρ ≈0.01 Ω cm) (1 1 1) n-type silicon substrate wafers. The fabrication process is completely compatible with the standard C-MOS.