Intraband absorption in the 8–12 μm band from Si-doped vertically aligned InGaAs/GaAs quantum-dot superlattice

Normal-incident infrared absorption in the 8–12-μm-atmospheric spectral window in the InGaAs/GaAs quantum-dot superlattice is observed. Using cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy, we find that the InGaAs quantum dots are perfectly vertically aligned in the growth direction (100). Under the normal incident radiation, a distinct absorption peaked at 9.9 μm is observed. This work indicates the potential of this quantum-dot superlattice structure for use as normal-incident infrared imaging focal arrays application without fabricating grating structures.