Multi-Band GaAs/AlGaAs Quantum Well Infrared Photodetector (QWIP) Focal Plane Arrays

Abstract : The GaAs/AlGaAs based Quantum Well Infrared Photodetectors (QWIPs) afford greater flexibility than the usual extrinsically doped semiconductor IR detectors because the wavelength of the peak response and cutoff can be continuously tailored over any wavelength between 6-20 micrometers. The spectral band width of these detectors can be tuned from narrow (DELTAlamba/lamba ^ 10 %) to wide (DELTAlamba/lamba ^ 50 %) allowing various applications. Also, QWIP offers multi-color infrared cameras which is capable of simultaneously acquiring images in different infrared bands. Each pixel of such array consists of vertically stacked, independently readable, QWIP detectors sensitive in different narrow infrared bands. In this article, we discuss the development and results of the 640x512 dual-band and four-band QWIP FPAs.