Normal Incident Long Wave Infrared Quantum Dash Quantum Cascade Photodetector

We demonstrate a quantum dash quantum cascade photodetector (QDash-QCD) by incorporating self-assembled InAs quantum dashes into the active region of a long wave infrared QCD. Sensitive photoresponse to normal incident light at 10 μm was observed, which is attributed to the intersubband (ISB) transitions in the quantum well/quantum dash (QW/QDash) hybrid absorption region and the following transfer of excited electrons on the extraction stair-like quantum levels separated by LO-phonon energy. The high density InAs quantum dashes were formed in the Stranski-Krastanow mode and stair-like levels were formed by a lattice matched InGaAs/InAlAs superlattice. A stable responsivity from 5 mA/W at 77 K to 3 mA/W at as high as 190 K was observed, which makes the QDash-QCD promising in high temperature operation.