Abstract
We have made a single-photon detector that relies on photoconductive gain in a narrow electron channel in an AlyGa1-yAs/GaAs two-dimensional electron gas. Given that the electron channel is one dimensional, the photoinduced conductance has plateaus at multiples of the quantum conductance 2e2/h. Superimposed on these broad conductance plateaus are many sharp, small, conductance steps associated with single-photon absorption events that produce individual photocarriers. This is a first step toward a photoconductive detector that could measure a single photon, while safely storing and protecting the spin degree of freedom of its photocarrier, but we have not actually achieved that goal.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 201307 |
Pages (from-to) | 2013071-2013074 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Physical Review B - Condensed Matter and Materials Physics |
Volume | 65 |
Issue number | 20 |
Publication status | Published - 2002 May 15 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
- Condensed Matter Physics