Room temperature operation of 1.55 μm wavelength-range GaN/AlN quantum well intersubband photodetectors

The room-temperature operation of a GaN/AlN quantum well infrared photodetector (QWIP) using the intersubband transition (ISBT) in a GaN/AlN multiple quantum well (MQW) was demonstrated for the first time. The GaN/AlN QWIP was operated under DC biasing with a vertically conductive geometry to the MQW layer. A clear photoinduced response was observed for P polarized 1.47 mu m light irradiation. Dependencies of the photoresponse on the applied DC bias voltage, and the polarization and wavelength of incident light were evaluated for the GaN/AlN QWIP. The maximum responsivity was estimated to be 0.11 mA/W for a DC bias of 15V at room temperature.