The role of sequential tunnelling in the dark current of quantum well infrared photodetectors (QWIPs)

N. E. I. Etteh, P. Harrison

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

6 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

A quantum mechanical approach is taken to investigate the contribution of sequential tunnelling as a component of the dark current in quantum well infrared photodetectors (QWIPs). Calculations are performed on three different experimentally reported QWIP devices made for different detection wavelengths. The results show that the sequential tunnelling component remains rather constant with different devices, however it is swamped by the thermionic emission components of the dark current at longer wavelengths. The lack of a local maximum in the dark current due to resonant LO phonon emission, which should be observed at short wavelengths, suggests that interface roughness and alloy disorder could be destroying the coherence of the electron wavefunctions between quantum wells.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)273-278
Number of pages6
JournalSuperlattices and Microstructures
Volume30
Issue number5
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Nov 2001
Externally publishedYes

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