Tailorable infrared sensing device with strain layer superlattice structure

Abstract

An infrared photodetector is formed of a heavily doped p-type Ge sub x Si sub 1-x/Si superlattice in which x is pre-established during manufacture in the range 0 to 100 percent. A custom-tailored photodetector that can differentiate among close wavelengths in the range of 2.7 to 50 microns is fabricated by appropriate selection of the alloy constituency value, x, to establish a specific wavelength at which photodetection cutoff will occur.