Fabrication of resonator-quantum well infrared photodetector test devices

Abstract. An optimized detector fabrication process is developed for resonator-quantum well infrared photodetectors (R-QWIPs). The R-QWIPs are the next generation of QWIP detectors that use resonances to increase the quantum efficiency (QE). To achieve the expected performance, the detector geometry must be produced in precise specification. In particular, the height of the diffractive elements and the thickness of the active resonator must be uniformly and accurately realized to within 0.05-μm accuracy. To achieve this specification, an optimized inductively coupled plasma etching process with a nearly infinite etching selectivity for the GaAs over the AlxGa1−xAs etch-stop layer was developed. Using this etching technique, we have fabricated a number of R-QWIP test detectors with the required dimensions. Their QE spectra were tested to be in close agreement with the QE predictions.

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