Capture time versus barrier thickness in quantum‐well structures measured by infrared photoconductive gain

Photoconductive gain measurements in quantum‐well (QW) infrared detectors are used to determine the variation of the capture time of electrons in QWs as a function of barrier thickness. The capture time is shown to be proportional to the multi‐quantum‐well period, which is consistent with a quantum mechanical description of the capture process. The measured values are far higher than the ones measured by time‐resolved photoluminescence, ranging from 8 to 150 ps, depending on the applied electric field and barrier thickness. The reasons for this discrepancy are discussed.

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