Intraband Processes and New Device Concepts

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The research project involves development of new semiconductor device concepts associated with intraband (as opposed to interband) processes, related device physics, and related infrared (IR) experiments. Devices include quantum well IR detectors and sources, as well as extrinsic silicon IR detectors employing unconventional modes of detection. Modeling will be carried out to decrease compositional control demands on previously proposed quantum well IR detector structures which offer the possibility of high quantum efficiency, narrow band detection and fewer materials problems than narrow gap long wavelength detectors like HgCdTe which employ interband transitions. Improvements in quantum well intraband transition photon sources will be studied. Near IR intraband quantum well devices require larger barrier heights and indirect gap materials. Compositionally simple (GaAs-AlAs) devices also involve indirect gap barriers. The effect of high indirect gap barriers on carrier dynamics will be examined as an extension of theoretical work already begun on the interaction of electrons and holes with barriers. That work includes the effect of lattice mismatch and will be extended to include the effect of strain.