ULTRAFAST PHOTODETECTORS BASED ON THE INTERACTION OF MICROWAVE-RADIATION AND A PHOTOEXCITED PLASMA IN SEMICONDUCTORS

The interaction of microwave radiation with the plasma in photoionized semiconductor photocells (CdS, CdSe) placed in waveguide measurement systems is investigated theoretically and experimentally. The interact ion of the characteristic waveguide modes with a photoexcited semicond uctor plasma is investigated. The dependence of the reflection coeffic ient and phase of the microwave radiation on the intensity of the opti cal radiation to be measured is obtained, and the influence of the sur face of the semiconductor photocells on these parameters is investigat ed. A microwave photodetector design based on a millimeter-wave interf erometer is developed. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics. [S1063- 7842(98)01811-X].