The progress in the quantum well infrared photo-detector (QWIP) based on quantum confinement in semiconductor in recent 10 years has been reviewed. The differences between QWIP and the HgCdTe (HCT) infrared detector as well as their compensation are analyzed. The outlook for near-future trends in QWIP technologies is also presented.infrared photoelectronics, QWIP, progress, development trendThe infrared detectors are transducers of infrared radiation with high-sensitivity. The early infrared detectors are thermometers, responding purely to the heating effect of the incoming infrared radiation. The detectors made based on the difference of electrons' transport performance when excited by photons are called photon detectors. The photon detectors represented by HgCdTe have achieved long-term development, and quantum well infrared photo-detectors (QWIPs), whose mechanism is sharply different from HgCdTe (HCT) detectors, are making a fine figure now.Responding to the heating effect distribution of objects is the certain development of the infrared radiation's detection. The element detector technology combined with the two-dimensional mechanical scanning system constituted the 1st generation scanning imaging detection technology, and the 2nd generation one is the infrared focal plane array technology, which transformed the mechanical scanning into electrical scanning, and single elements into arrays.In the development of array detector, the uniformity is of great importance for the imaging detection. Just like the position and role of silicon material in the micro-electronic field, the HCT infrared focal plane array plays a prominent role in the infrared imaging detection field at present. However, due to the Hg-Te combination bond in HCT material is relatively fragile, the HCT materials and devices preparation always can not be precisely controlled as silicon, making it quite difficult to reach high-uniformity. On the other hand, the main material of QWIP device is GaAs-based semiconductor material, which is only second to silicon process and 1st-order higher in uniformity. However, the quantum efficiency of QWIP is about 1st-order lower than that of HCT infrared detector due to the basic operation principle of QWIPs. Thus, the advantages of QWIPs in uniformity and disadvantages in quantum efficiency have determined a complementary status between them.In 1983, Smith et al. [1] firstly showed the possibility of using optical waveguide-type multiple quantum well for 3-5 μm and 8-14 μm infrared light detection. Two years later strong intersubband absorption in a GaAs/ Al x Ga 1−x As multi-quantum well under oblique incidence was observed by West et al. [2] . Later, a detectivity of 1.0×10 10 cm·Hz 1/2 /W and peak response wavelength of
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