In the last two decades several new concepts of photodetectors to improve their performance have been proposed. New strategies are especially addressed to the group of so called high-operating-temperature detectors where - apart from increasing of operating temperature - both the size and power consumption reduction is expected. In this paper a new strategy in the photo-detector design is presented - the barrier detectors: CnBn; CnBnN+, CpBn and unipolar barrier photodiodes. In spite of considering barrier detectors based on AIIIBV bulk compounds and type-II superlattices as having theoretically a better performance than those based on HgCdTe, the latter compound is also used to fabricate barrier detectors. Among many new applications of barrier detectors the detection of explosives can be extremely important due to an increased threat of terrorist attacks. This paper presents the status of the barrier detectors and compares the performance of mid-wave HgCdTe barrier detectors and unipolar barrier photodiodes.

The paper reports on the photoelectrical performance of the long wavelength infrared (LWIR) HgCdTe high operating temperature (HOT) detector. The detector structure was simulated with commercially available software APSYS by Crosslight Inc. taking into account SRH, Auger and tunnelling currents. A detailed analysis of the detector performance such as dark current, detectivity, time response as a function of device architecture and applied bias is performed, pointing out optimal working conditions.

We report on the photoresponse of mid-wavelength infrared radiation (MWIR) type-II superlattices (T2SLs) InAs/InAsSb high operating temperature (HOT) photoresistor grown on GaAs substrate. The device consists of a 200 periods of active layer grown on GaSb buffer layer. The photoresistor reached a 50% cut-off wavelength of 5 µm and 6 µm at 200 K and 300 K respectively. The time constant of 30 ns is observed at 200 K under 1 V bias. This is the first observation of the photoresponse in MWIR T2SLs InAs/InAsSb above 200 K.