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Title: Simulation and analysis of grating-integrated quantum dot infrared detectors for spectral response control and performance enhancement

Journal Article · · Journal of Applied Physics
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4871855· OSTI ID:22273530
 [1]; ;  [2];  [1]; ;  [3]
  1. Center for High Technology Materials, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87106 (United States)
  2. Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio 45433 (United States)
  3. Division of Industrial Metrology, Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science, Daejeon 305-340 (Korea, Republic of)

We propose and analyze a novel detector structure for pixel-level multispectral infrared imaging. More specifically, we investigate the device performance of a grating-integrated quantum dots-in-a-well photodetector under backside illumination. Our design uses 1-dimensional grating patterns fabricated directly on a semiconductor contact layer and, thus, adds a minimal amount of additional effort to conventional detector fabrication flows. We show that we can gain wide-range control of spectral response as well as large overall detection enhancement by adjusting grating parameters. For small grating periods, the spectral responsivity gradually changes with parameters. We explain this spectral tuning using the Fabry–Perot resonance and effective medium theory. For larger grating periods, the responsivity spectra get complicated due to increased diffraction into the active region, but we find that we can obtain large enhancement of the overall detector performance. In our design, the spectral tuning range can be larger than 1 μm, and, compared to the unpatterned detector, the detection enhancement can be greater than 92% and 148% for parallel and perpendicular polarizations. Our work can pave the way for practical, easy-to-fabricate detectors, which are highly useful for many infrared imaging applications.

OSTI ID:
22273530
Journal Information:
Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 115, Issue 16; Other Information: (c) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English