Competition between sub-bandgap linear detection and degenerate two-photon absorption in gallium arsenide photodiodes

This letter is on the response of gallium arsenide p-i-n diodes to sub-bandgap photons (1.55 μm). We investigate the various regimes of sub-bandgap operation by using different light sources delivering pulses ranging from nanosecond to microsecond durations. We evidence two regimes : a regime of degenerate two-photon absorption, with a clear quadratic dependence with respect to the incident flux, and a sub-bandgap, temperature dependant linear regime, that drives photocurrent generation at lower power densities. Both processes are associated to a very low quantum efficiency, around 10–8. We then determine absorption coefficients as well as trap densities, thanks to a model involving a photo-assisted Shockley Read Hall effect.