QUANTUM UNCOOLED INFRA-RED PHOTO-DETECTOR

摘要

A photo-detector comprising: a p-doped semiconductor layer; an n-doped semiconductor layer juxtaposed with the p-doped semiconductor layer; one of an intrinsic amorphous silicon layer sandwiched between the p-doped semiconductor layer and the n-doped semiconductor layer and a depletion region formed between the p-doped semiconductor layer juxtaposed with the n-doped semiconductor layer; a plurality of mesoscopic sized particles within the one of the intrinsic amorphous silicon layer sandwiched between the p-doped semiconductor layer and the n-doped semiconductor layer and the depletion region formed between the p-doped semiconductor layer juxtaposed with the n-doped semiconductor layer. A source of pumping light is provided and arranged to be received at the mesoscopic sized particles thereby generating free carriers confined in the mesoscopic sized particles. Received light of a target waveband releases the carriers from confinement which is detected as a flow of current.