초록 ▼

Electromagnetic radiation such as, in particular, infrared radiation is detected opto-electronically by means of a superlattice structure forming quantum wells having a single bound state; in the interest of minimizing dark-current, relatively wide barriers are used between quantum wells. Resulting

Electromagnetic radiation such as, in particular, infrared radiation is detected opto-electronically by means of a superlattice structure forming quantum wells having a single bound state; in the interest of minimizing dark-current, relatively wide barriers are used between quantum wells. Resulting highly sensitive, high-speed detectors can be used in optical communications, for terrain mapping, and for infrared viewing. Furthermore, upon application of a variable electrical potential across the superlattice structure, radiation traversing such structure can be modulated.

대표청구항 ▼

A device responsive to electromagnetic radiation at a wavelength of interest comprising a substrate-supported semiconductor superlattice between contact layers, said superlattice comprising interleaved quantum-well and barrier layers, quantum wells formed by said layers respectively having a thickne

A device responsive to electromagnetic radiation at a wavelength of interest comprising a substrate-supported semiconductor superlattice between contact layers, said superlattice comprising interleaved quantum-well and barrier layers, quantum wells formed by said layers respectively having a thickness of less than about 65 Angstroms so as to have one and only one conduction-band bound energy state; said quantum wells being adapted for carrier excitation by said electromagnetic radiation from said conduction-band bound energy state into a conduction-band continuum energy state, and the thickness of said barrier layers being significantly greater than the thickness of said quantum-well layers.