Electromagnetic wave detector and image analyzer comprising a detector

Abstract

The detector can be used to detect a wave in the medium infrared range by controlling the detector through optical pumping by means of a near infrared wave. In this case, the detector has a quantum well structure consisting of alternating first layers and second layers, these materials being such that there is a potential well in the conduction band and the valence band of each first layer. The thickness of each first layer is such that the electrons of the conduction band have at least one permitted discrete level of energy, such that the difference in energy between this level and the bottom of the conduction band in the second layers is smaller than or equal to the energy corresponding to the frequency of the wave to be detected; and such that the difference in energy between the fundamental level permitted for the holes in the valence band and the fundamental level permitted for the electrons in the conduction band corresponds to a frequency close to the frequency of the control wave.