Interband cascade infrared photodetectors

Interband cascade (IC) infrared (IR) photodetectors (ICIPs) are a new type of detector that combines features of conventional interband photodiodes with the discrete nature of quantum-well IR photodetectors (QWIPs) and IC lasers. The operation of ICIPs takes advantage of fast intersubband relaxation and interband tunneling for carrier transport, and relatively slow interband transitions (long lifetime) for photon generation. As such, ICIPs can be tailored to optimize device performance for specific application requirements. We report our initial efforts in the development of ICIPs. We have observed the photocurrent from an InAs-based IC laser with a cutoff wavelength near 8 μm at 80 K, and significant photocurrent from GaSb-based ICIPs with cutoff wavelengths near 5 μm at 80 K and 7 μm at above room temperature.

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