GaAs/AlGaAs based quantum Bragg mirror detector

In this work we present a far-infrared asymmetric quantum Bragg mirror detector (QBMD) based on GaAs/AlGaAs. The heterostructure is designed to explore a transition at 111 meV (11,2 μm) between the ground state and a leaky electronic state in the continuum. The calculated photovoltaic photocurrent shows a good agreement with the expected absorption.

I. Introduction

The quantum Bragg mirror detector (QBMD) is a class of photodetectors designed to explore optical transitions to a state localized in the continuum (bound state in the continuum) or to leaky electronic states (quasi-bound states in the continuum) [1] . Its name comes from an analogy between the wave properties observed both in optics, when analyzing a stratified dielectric medium, and in quantum mechanics, when analyzing electronic states with energies above the potential barrier in semiconductor heterostructures.