Unipolar Semiconductor Barrier Structures for Infrared Photodetector Arrays (Review)

We analyze the current state of research in the field of creating unipolar semiconductor barrier structures based on various materials for infrared photodetector arrays, which make it possible to reduce the dark currents and thereby improve the threshold characteristics and ensure operation at high cooling temperatures. The main ways of minimizing a barrier for holes in the valence band are considered by the example of a photosensitive structure based on the n-CMT layer. It is shown that the nBn barrier structures are an alternative for creating photodiode sensing matrices for the mid- and far-infrared photodetector arrays.