Ambipolar semiconductor receiver application in THz range

Abstract

Preliminary estimates [1] showed that a narrow gap semiconductor with bipolar conductivity Hg1−xCdxTe (x ∼ 0,2) may have a detecting properties at temperatures T ∼ (78 – 300) K (temperature range, which maintains bipolar conductivity) with unlimited spectral range. Completed experiments [2] at a wavelength λ ∼ 8 mm have shown that the volt-watt sensitivity of such models can reach up to 2 V/W and the calculated equivalent noise power was equal to 3.5·10⁻¹⁰ W/Hz^1/2, which is comparable with rectifier type receivers in the millimeter and submillimeter ranges.