Open AccessDetectivity enhancement in quantum well infrared photodetectors utilizing a photonic crystal slab resonator
Author(s) -
S. Kalchmair,
Roman Gansch,
S.H. Ahn,
A. M. Andrews,
Hermann Detz,
Tobias Zederbauer,
E. Mujagić,
Peter Reininger,
Gregor Lasser,
W. Schrenk,
G. Strasser
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.20.005622
Subject(s) - responsivity , quantum well infrared photodetector , optics , optoelectronics , photodetector , resonator , materials science , infrared , photonic crystal , absorption (acoustics) , resonance (particle physics) , laser , quantum efficiency , quantum well , detector , physics , particle physics
We characterize the performance of a quantum well infrared photodetector (QWIP), which is fabricated as a photonic crystal slab (PCS) resonator. The strongest resonance of the PCS is designed to coincide with the absorption peak frequency at 7.6 µm of the QWIP. To accurately characterize the detector performance, it is illuminated by using single mode mid-infrared lasers. The strong resonant absorption enhancement yields a detectivity increase of up to 20 times. This enhancement is a combined effect of increased responsivity and noise current reduction. With increasing temperature, we observe a red shift of the PCS-QWIP resonance peak of -0.055 cm(-1)/K. We attribute this effect to a refractive index change and present a model based on the revised plane wave method.