N-i-p-i-based high-speed detectors and bistable switches with gain

We report on recent theoretical and experimental results on reverse biased photoconductive detectors and bistable optical switches. Using a special design and taking advantage of the 'giant ambipolar diffusion constant' of n-i-p-i structures, the photogenerated carriers are transferred from the 'absorption area' into a small detection area within very short times. The combination of small contact separations and small RC- and diffusion time constants results in very high gain-bandwidth values with adjustable 3-dB frequencies.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.