Optical-beam profiling by field-controlled metal-semiconductor-metal structures

Abstract

Optical-beam profiling properties of Schottky-barrier metal-semiconductor- metal (MSM) structures have been investigated experimentally. Making use of a planar molybdenum/n-type silicon/molybdenum (Mo/n-Si/Mo) MSM structure with a wide electrode separation, one-dimensional (1-D) profiling of optical-beam intensity distribution from a helium-neon (He-Ne) laser was carried out. It was confirmed that, in addition to the existing photosensing function, the sensitivity (output photocurrent) of such a structure could be controlled by applying a bias via lateral spreading of the surface space-charge-region (SCR) at the side of the reverse-biased Schottky-junction.