Demonstration of Bias-Controlled Algorithmic Tuning of Quantum Dots in a Well (DWELL) MidIR Detectors

• Published in: IEEE journal of quantum electronics Vol. 45; no. 6; pp. 674 - 683
• Main Authors: Woo-Yong Jang, Hayat, M.M., Tyo, J.S., Attaluri, R.S., Vandervelde, T.E., Sharma, Y.D., Shenoi, R., Stintz, A., Cantwell, E.R., Bender, S.C., Sang Jun Lee, Sam Kyu Noh, Krishna, S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.06.2009; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Algorithmic spectrometer; Algorithms; Bias; Bolometer; infrared, submillimeter wave, microwave and radiowave receivers and detectors; Detectors; Dispersion; Dwell; Educational technology; Exact sciences and technology; Infrared, submillimeter wave, microwave and radiowave instruments, equipment and techniques; Instruments, apparatus, components and techniques common to several branches of physics and astronomy; Laboratories; Materials science and technology; Optical sensors; Optical tuning; Physics; Quantum dots; Quantum electronics; quantum-dots-in-a-well (DWELL) detectors; Qunatum dots; Spectra; spectral sensors; spectral tuning; Spectroscopy; Stark effect; Temperature sensors; Tuning; Infrared detectors; Algorithms; Radiation detectors; Quantum dot devices; spectral sensors; Stark effect; Optical elements; Tunable source; Algorithmic spectrometer; spectral tuning; Spectral line shift; quantum-dots-in-a well (DWELL) detectors
• ISSN: 0018-9197; 1558-1713
• DOI: 10.1109/JQE.2009.2013150

The quantum-confined Stark effect in intersublevel transitions present in quantum-dots-in-a-well (DWELL) detectors gives rise to a midIR spectral response that is dependent upon the detector's operational bias. The spectral responses resulting from different biases exhibit spectral shifts, albeit with significant spectral overlap. A postprocessing algorithm was developed by Sakoglu that exploited this bias-dependent spectral diversity to predict the continuous and arbitrary tunability of the DWELL detector within certain limits. This paper focuses on the experimental demonstration of the DWELL-based spectral tuning algorithm. It is shown experimentally that it is possible to reconstruct the spectral content of a target electronically without using any dispersive optical elements for tuning, thereby demonstrating a DWELL-based algorithmic spectrometer. The effects of dark current, detector temperature, and bias selection on the tuning capability are also investigated experimentally.