Ultrabroadband and multiband infrared/terahertz photodetectors with high sensitivity

Broadband response is pursued in both infrared(IR)and terahertz(THz)detection technologies,which find their applications in both terrestrial and astronomical realms.Herein,we report an ultrabroadband and multiband IR/THz detector based on blocked-impurity-band detecting principle.The detectors are prepared by implanting phosphorus into germanium(Ge:P),where photoresponses with a P impurity band,a self-interstitial defect band,and a vacancy-P(V-P)pair defect band are realized simultaneously.The response spectra of the detectors show ultrabroad and dual response bands in a range of 3-28μm(IR band)and 40-165μm(THz band),respectively.Additionally,a tiny mid-IR(MIR)band within 3-4.2μm is embedded in the IR band.The THz band arises from the P impurity band,whereas the IR and the MIR bands are ascribed to the two defect bands.At150 m V and 4.5 K,the peak detectivities of the three bands are obtained as 2.9×10^(12) Jones(at 3.9μm),6.8×10^(12) Jones(at 16.3μm),and 9.9×10^(12) Jones(at 116.5μm),respectively.The impressive coverage andsensitivity of the detectors are promising for applications in IR and THz detection technologies.