BROAD-BAND MICROWAVE DETECTION WITH A NOVEL 2D HOT-ELECTRON DEVICE

We present the operation of a new AlGaAs-GaAs multiquantum well hot-el ectron microwave detector. The working principle of this device is bas ed on the interaction of two-dimensional free carriers inside the well s with the in-plane electric field. We shall report room-temperature r esponsivity of several 10(3) V W-1, comparable to that of conventional solid-state devices. The different physical principle of operation, h owever, yields for the present detector a broader frequency range, ext ending up to the submillimetre band, and short response times which ca n be estimated around 10 ps. Finally we report a characterization of t he device from the point of view of noise. (C) 1998 Academic Press Lim ited.