Reconfigurable Infrared Photodetector Based on Asymmetrically Doped Double Quantum Wells for Multicolor and Remote Temperature Sensing

Multicolor Infrared (IR) detectors provide new solutions in physical, chemical, and biological sensing and imaging. Multispectral sensing makes it possible to increase detection sensitivity, to improve object identification and discrimination capabilities, and to measure the absolute temperature of the object regardless of its emissivity and geometry. Numerous practical applications of such detectors include defense and commercial technologies, such as night vision, low visibility navigation, monitoring of industrial high-temperature processes, noncontact temperature imaging, target detection and tracking, and remote earth observations. Nanostructures with double quantum wells (DQWs) are very promising for multicolor sensing. They demonstrate strong double-peak photoresponse, where the peak positions and their magnitudes may be controlled by the bias voltage via the charge redistribution between DQWs. This chapter presents the effects of DQW asymmetric doping on the parameters of IR detector, its spectral selectivity, and bias tunability. High bias-tunable spectral selectivity of asymmetrically doped DQWs makes nanomaterials very attractive for precise thermometric measurements.