X-ray detection using the quantum-well exciton nonlinearity

Author

Eugster, Cristopher C. ; Hagelstein, Peter L.

Author_Institution

Res. Lab. of Electron., MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA

Volume

26

Issue

1

fYear

1990

fDate

1/1/1990 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

75

Lastpage

84

Abstract

Two related schemes for detecting X-rays based on (1) the scattering and (2) the reflection of a pulsed optical probe beam by carriers produced by the absorption of a single energetic X-ray photon are described. The detection method is based on the strong carrier density dependence of the (complex) index of refraction of the exciton absorption lines in a GaAs/AlGaAs multiple-quantum-well structure. These schemes can be used to construct a class of very sensitive gated X-ray detectors with micron spatial resolution and temporal resolution in the 10-30-ps regime

Keywords

III-V semiconductors; X-ray detection and measurement; aluminium compounds; carrier density; excitons; gallium arsenide; light absorption; light reflection; light scattering; nonlinear optics; optical resolving power; refractive index; semiconductor quantum wells; 10 to 30 ps; GaAs-AlGaAs; X-ray detection; X-ray photon absorption; beam reflection; beam scattering; carriers; complex refractive index; detection method; exciton absorption lines; micron spatial resolution; multiple-quantum-well structure; pulsed optical probe beam; quantum-well exciton nonlinearity; sensitive gated X-ray detectors; single energetic X-ray photon; strong carrier density dependence; temporal resolution; Electromagnetic wave absorption; Excitons; Optical beams; Optical refraction; Optical scattering; Particle scattering; Quantum wells; Spatial resolution; X-ray detection; X-ray detectors;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9197

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/3.44919

Filename

44919