Very Long Wavelength Intersubband Infrared Hot Electron Transistor

Abstract

We have demonstrated the first very long wavelength ( 16 µm) infrared hot electron transistor (IHET). This device utilizes a bound to continuum GaAs/Alx Ga1-x As (x=0.11) quantum well infrared photodetector (QWIP) as a photosensitive emitter, a wide quantum well as a base, and a thick Alx Ga1-x As (x=0.11) barrier between the base and the collector as an energy discriminating filter. This energy filter blocks the lower energy tunneled electrons, which drain through the base while higher energy photo electrons pass to the collector. Therefore, the detectivity of the device at the collector is much higher than the detectivity at the emitter.