Flexible Nanophotonic Cavity-Enhanced Infrared Photodetectors Employing Double Quantum Wells

Double-quantum-well infrared photodetectors (DQWIPs) integrated with nanophotonic cavities enable highly responsive mid-infrared detection through enhanced intersubband absorption in the thin semiconductor heterostructure. Additionally, the technology is compatible with flexible substrates. 

Background:

Quantum Well Infrared Photodetectors (QWIPs) are sensitive photodetectors for the mid-to-long-wave infrared spectrum (3-20 µm) that are often used in applications such as remote sensing, imaging, and optical communications. In recent years, QWIP technologies have undergone substantial development, with the most recent introduction of single-quantum-well infrared photodetectors (SQWIP). While SQWIPs exhibit increased responsivity and detectability compared to earlier QWIPs, the structure of SQWIP devices can result in a degradation of photocurrent, decreasing responsivity. This technology provides a novel Quantum Well Infrared Photodetector, which utilizes two quantum wells, resulting in state-of-the-art responsivity performance with the capacity to be implemented on flexible substrates.    

Technology Overview: 

This University at Buffalo technology features a novel Double Quantum Well Infrared Photodetector, which exhibits state-of-the-art detector responsivity performance, substantially improving upon earlier QWIP technologies, including SQWIP. Additionally, our DQWIP technology is sufficiently thin such that it can be used on flexible substrates, opening up a wide variety of novel applications.  

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luchschenF, https://stock.adobe.com/203302012, stock.adobe.com

Advantages:

• Superior device performance with higher responsivity and detectivity.
• Mechanical flexibility of these devices will enable a broad range of new applications.
• Highly tailorable operating wavelength range.
• Lower costs associated with the semiconductor heterostructure growth.

 Applications:  

• Conventional-format flat and rigid QWIPs and based focal plane arrays with superior performances;
• Flexible infrared photodetectors for wearable devices, sensors and systems; 
• Concave-curved infrared focal plane arrays for wide field-of-view cameras/imagers; 
• Convex-curved infrared focal plane arrays for compound-eye type compact low-weight imagers.

Intellectual Property Summary:

United States Provisional Patent Application 63/817,238 filed June 3^rd, 2025.  

Stage of Development:

• Prototypes fabricated and validated within the laboratory setting.
• TRL 5

Licensing Status: 

Available for licensing or collaboration.