Long wavelength infrared photodetector design based on electromagnetically induced transparency

A novel long-wavelength infrared (IR) photodetector based on Electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) which is suitable for operation in about room temperature and THz range is proposed and analyzed in detail in this article. The main point in this paper for operation in room temperature is related to convert the incoming long-wavelength IR signal to short-wavelength or visible probe optical field through EIT phenomena. For realization of the idea, we used 4, 5- and 6-level atoms implemented by quantum wells or dots. In the proposed structure long-wavelength IR signal does not interact directly with electrons, but affects the absorption characteristics of short-wavelength or visible probe optical field. Therefore, the proposed structure reduces and cancels out the important thermionic dark current component. So, the proposed idea can operate as long wavelength photodetector.