Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference:	GR/T21158/01
Title:	Mid-infrared properties of self assembled quantum dots: novel detector structures and ultrafast intraband relaxation studies
Principal Investigator:	Wilson, Professor L
Other Investigators:
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department:	Physics and Astronomy
Organisation:	University of Sheffield
Scheme:	First Grant Scheme Pre-FEC
Starts:	01 September 2004	Ends:	31 August 2007	Value (£):	103,577
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:	Condensed Matter Physics Materials Characterisation Materials Synthesis & Growth
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:	Communications Electronics
Related Grants:
Panel History:
Summary on Grant Application Form
Mid-infrared devices containing self-assembled semiconductor quantum dots offer several potential advantages compared with similar structures incorporating quantum wells. These include detectors which are sensitive to normal incidence illumination due to the three dimensional confinement of carriers, higher detectivity arising from the significantly longer excited state lifetimes and higher operating temperatures as a result of the deeper quantum confinement and reduced thermionic carrier emission.The work proposed here constitutes closely linked research themes involving the time resolved study of intraband relaxation processes in quantum dots, and the development and ultrafast study of novel mid-infrared quantum dot based detectors. Ultrafast mid-infrared pump-probe spectroscopy will be used to investigate a range of quantum dot structures with variable energy level separations, electron densities and containing different semiconductor materials. These studies will allow deep insight into intraband carrier relaxation times, mechansisms and factors affecting the relaxation dynamics, providing the detailed knowledge necessary to design optimum mid-infrared quantum dot based devices. Quantum dot detector development will concentrate on two novel approaches utilising closely stacked quantum dots and dots-in-a-well to achieve high detectivity, normal incidence detector operation at high temperature. Ultrafast transient photocurrent measurements of detector structures will complement the pumpprobe studies, yielding valuable information regarding carrier capture and transit times in quantum dot based detectors.
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Organisation Website:	http://www.shef.ac.uk