Light-hole and heavy-hole transitions for high-temperature long-wavelength infrared detection

Abstract

Hole transitions from the heavy-hole (hh) to the light-hole (lh) band contributing to the 4–10 μm response range are reported on p-GaAs/AlGaAs detectors. The detectors show a spectral response up to 16.5 μm, operating up to a temperature of 330 K where the lh-hh response is superimposed on the free-carrier response. Two characteristic peaks observed between 5–7 μm are in good agreement with corresponding energy separations of the lh and hh bands and thus originated from lh-hh transitions. Results will be useful for designing multi-spectral detection which could be realized on a single p-GaAs structure.