Microscopic modelling of semiconductor-based infrared photodetectors: a weighted Monte Carlo approach

A microscopic investigation of hot-carrier vertical transport phenomena in semiconductor-based infrared photodetectors is presented. In order to overcome the intrinsic limitations of the conventional Monte Carlo method in describing the electro-optical response of such quantum devices—i.e. huge photocurrent fluctuations—a novel weighted Monte Carlo scheme is proposed. As shown by our simulated experiments, this new Monte Carlo strategy, particularly suited for the analysis of steady-state conditions, allows for a fully three-dimensional analysis of the basic microscopic processes governing new-generation infrared photodetectors.