THEORETICAL PERFORMANCE OF VERY LONG-WAVELENGTH INAS INXGA1-XSB SUPERLATTICE BASED INFRARED DETECTORS/

Optimal detectivities of very long wavelength (11-19 mum) photovoltaic infrared detectors based on ideal InAs/InGaSb superlattices are calcu lated. Accurate K.p band structures are used to obtain radiative, elec tron-electron and hole-hole band-to-band Auger, and for the first time shallow acceptor level assisted Auger recombination rates for n-on-p photodiodes. The suppression of band-to-band Auger by ''band gap engin eering'' is predicted to lead to improved background-limited operating temperatures just as it does in long-wave InAs/InGaSb infrared detect ors. (C) 1994 American Institute of Physics.