Low Noise Mid-Wavelength IR Photodetectors

Abstract

This report documents the investigations and development of low noise mid-wavelength infrared photodetectors at the University of Oklahoma for a period of time from June 2012 to Nov. 2013. Our technical approach is based on interband cascade IR photodetectors (ICIPs) that are composed of discrete superlattice (SL) absorbers. We developed a unified theory on carrier transport and noise in discrete multiple stage absorber structures and applied the theory to have evaluated the fundamental limit of device performance in terms of the product of absorption coefficient and minority carrier diffusion length. We demonstrated in theory that ICIP device performance can be better in terms of detectivity compared to conventional single-absorber detectors, which is especially significant at high temperatures when the diffusion length is reduced or for high-speed applications. Several ICIP structures were grown by MBE and fabricated into devices with a cut-off wavelength near 4-5 m. Experimental results obtained from these devices have indicated improved device performance at high temperatures with additional stages as projected qualitatively by the theory.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 19, 2014
Accession Number
ADA596425

Entities

People

  • Rui Q. Yang

Organizations

  • University of Oklahoma

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Absorption
  • Absorption Coefficients
  • Air Force Research Laboratories
  • Coefficients
  • Detection
  • Detectors
  • Diffusion
  • Energy Bands
  • High Temperature
  • Infrared Detectors
  • Low Noise
  • Materials
  • Military Research
  • Noise
  • Photodetectors
  • Quantum Efficiency
  • Semiconductors

Fields of Study

  • Materials science

Readers

  • Calculus or Mathematical Analysis
  • Quantum Dot Semiconductor Device Photonics and Graphene Optoelectronic Materials and THz Physics.