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arXiv · 0911.5194

CSIP - a Novel Photon-Counting Detector Applicable for the SPICA Far-Infrared Instrument

Y. Doi·Z. Wang·T. Ueda·P. Nickels·S. Komiyama·M. Patrashin·I. Hosako·S. Matsuura·M. Shirahata·Y. Sawayama·M. Kawada
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Abstract

We describe a novel GaAs/AlGaAs double-quantum-well device for the infrared photon detection, called Charge-Sensitive Infrared Phototransistor (CSIP). The principle of CSIP detector is the photo-excitation of an intersubband transition in a QW as an charge integrating gate and the signal amplification by another QW as a channel with very high gain, which provides us with extremely high responsivity (10^4 -- 10^6 A/W). It has been demonstrated that the CSIP designed for the mid-infrared wavelength (14.7 um) has an excellent sensitivity; the noise equivalent power (NEP) of 7x10^-19 W/rHz with the quantum efficiency of ~2%. Advantages of the CSIP against the other highly sensitive detectors are, huge dynamic range of >10^6, low output impedance of 10^3 -- 10^4 Ohms, and relatively high operation temperature (>2K). We discuss possible applications of the CSIP to FIR photon detection covering 35 -- 60 um waveband, which is a gap uncovered with presently available photoconductors.

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Y. Doi, Z. Wang, T. Ueda, P. Nickels, S. Komiyama, M. Patrashin, I. Hosako, S. Matsuura, M. Shirahata, Y. Sawayama, M. Kawada. 2009-11-27. CSIP - a Novel Photon-Counting Detector Applicable for the SPICA Far-Infrared Instrument. https://doi.org/10.1051/spica%2F200905003

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