Multiple quantum well infrared photodetectors (QWIP's) with two-dimens
ional bi-periodic grating couplers have been demonstrated. For one-col
or QWIP's, the response linewidths of such QWIP's are found to be much
wider than those of conventional grating coupled QWIP's. The bi-perio
dic gratings have also been applied to two color QWIP's to separately
optimize the absorption at two wavelength bands. The large difference
in responsivities at the two wavelength bands for devices with single
period gratings can be greatly reduced with the use of bi-periodic gra
tings.