Solar blind solid state gallium containing photodiode device and related method

A method of fabricating a solar blind light AlGaN photodetector device configured to detect electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength less than 285 nm, the method comprising:

• providing a substrate member comprising at least one of a sapphire, a silicon, a silicon carbide, or a gallium and nitride containing substrate member, the substrate member having a backside region and a frontside region such that the backside is configured as an aperture region, the aperture region being transparent to electromagnetic radiation ranging in wavelength less than 280 nanometers;
• forming a defect reducing nucleation or buffer material using a MOCVD Process in which the group III gaseous precursor is introduced before the group V precursor process overlying the frontside region of the substrate member, the defect reducing nucleation or buffer material comprising an AlN material having a thickness ranging from 1 nm to 20 nm;
• forming an n-type aluminum and gallium nitride containing cladding material overlying the defect reducing nucleation or buffer material overlying the frontside region of the substrate member, the n-type aluminum and gallium nitride containing cladding material comprising a silicon or germanium dopant having a concentration ranging from 1E+16 cm-3 to 1E+20 cm-3 and a thickness ranging from 10 nm to 5000 nm;
• forming a first compositionally graded AlGaN containing interconnecting material using a MOCVD process at a temperature ranging from 800 C to 1400 C overlying the n-type aluminum and gallium nitride containing cladding material having an aluminum composition ranging from 90% to 60% from an initial region to a final region, and a thickness ranging from 1 nm to 50 nm;
• forming an intrinsic light detecting region using a MOCVD process at a temperature ranging from 800 C to 1400 C having a bandgap of larger than 4.35 eV for detecting electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength shorter than a 285 nm wavelength range, the intrinsic light detecting region ranging in thickness from 100 nanometers to 1 micron or greater overlying the first compositionally graded AlGaN containing interconnecting material, the intrinsic light detecting region comprising an aluminum gallium scandium nitride material and configured with an undoped region characterizing the intrinsic light detecting region;
• forming a second compositionally graded AlGaN containing interconnecting material using a MOCVD process having a temperature ranging from 800 C to 1400 C overlying the intrinsic light detecting region and having a composition of aluminum ranging from 65% to 0% from an initial region to a final region, and a thickness ranging from 1 nm to 50 nm;
• forming a p-type gallium nitride containing cladding material using a MOCVD process having a temperature of 800 C to 1400 C overlying the intrinsic light detecting region, the p-type aluminum and gallium nitride containing cladding material comprising a p-type dopant having a concentration ranging from 1E+16 cm-3 to 2E+20 cm-3, and a thickness ranging from 1 nm to 100 nm;
• forming a contact region overlying the p-type gallium and nitrogen cladding material, the contact region comprising a MOCVD deposited material having a dopant of p-type at a concentration ranging from 1E+16 cm-3 to 2E+20 cm-3, and a thickness ranging from 1 nm to 100 nm;
• and
• coupling an optical lens material comprising an inorganic material overlying the aperture region and having a transparency of 25% and greater for a wavelength ranging from 285 nm to 250 nm.

A solar blind light AlGaN photodetector device configured to detect electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength shorter than 285 nm, the device comprising:

• a substrate member comprising at least one of a sapphire, a silicon, a silicon carbide, or a gallium and nitride containing substrate member, the substrate member having a backside region and a frontside region;
• an aperture region configured from the backside region, the aperture region being transparent to electromagnetic radiation ranging in wavelength from less than 280 nanometers;
• a defect reducing nucleation or buffer material overlying the frontside region of the substrate member;
• an n-type aluminum and gallium nitride containing cladding material overlying the defect reducing nucleation or buffer material overlying the frontside region of the substrate member;
• a first compositionally graded AlGaN containing interconnecting material overlying the n-type aluminum and gallium nitride containing cladding material and characterized by an aluminum to gallium ratio ranging from 1 to 0.60 at a first interface between the first compositionally graded AlGaN containing interconnecting material and the n-type aluminum and gallium nitride containing cladding material and grading to a ratio (Al:Ga) ranging from 0.45:55 to 0.55:45 aluminum to gallium at a second interface;
• an intrinsic light detecting region having a bandgap of larger than 4.35 eV and being undoped, the intrinsic light detecting region ranging in thickness from 100 nanometers to 1 micron or greater overlying the second interface of the first compositionally graded AlGaN containing interconnecting material, the intrinsic light detecting region comprising an aluminum gallium scandium nitride material and having a constant ratio of aluminum to gallium ranging from 0.45:55 to 0.55:45;
• a second compositionally graded AlGaN containing interconnecting material overlying the intrinsic light detecting region and having an aluminum to gallium ratio ranging from 0.45:0.55 to 1:0 at a first interface between the second compositionally graded AlGaN containing material and the intrinsic light detecting region and grading to a ratio ranging from 1:0 to 0.60:0.40 at a second interface;
• a p-type aluminum and gallium nitride containing cladding material overlying the second interface of the intrinsic light detecting region;
• a contact region overlying the p-type gallium and nitrogen cladding material;
• a signal to noise ratio of greater than 100 to 1 characterizing the device such that an electromagnetic radiation received by the aperture region being free from interference with solar radiation;
• an operating temperature range of 10 Degrees Kelvin to 500 Degrees Kelvin characterizing the device;
• and
• an optical lens material overlying the aperture region.