CHARACTERISTICS OF QUANTUM-WELL INFRARED PHOTODETECTORS

A model is presented for the performance of quantum well infrared phot odetectors (QWIPs) utilizing intersubband electron transitions and tun neling injection electrons, The dark current and the responsivity are derived as functions of the QWIP parameters, including the number of t he QWs, in an analytical form, Nonlinear effects in the QWIP operation at high infrared power are considered and the threshold value of powe r density is estimated. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.