Five-band bias-selectable integrated quantum well detector in an n-p-n architecture

A detector with five bands covering visible to long-wave infrared is demonstrated using a GaAs-based n-p-n-architecture. The major elements are two back-to-back connected p-i-n photodiodes with InGaAs/GaAs and GaAs/AlGaAs-based quantum wells integrated within the n-regions. At 80 K, a preliminary detector shows two combinations of bands, each responding in three bands, covering the 0.6–0.8, 3–4, and 4–8 μm ranges and the 0.8–0.9, 0.9–1.0, and 9–13 μm ranges. A good selection of these two combinations based on the bias voltage polarity is observed. A similar four-band detector without any cross-talk between the bands is proposed using In0.53Ga0.47As/InP material system.