Schottky-barrier type infrared photodetector

An infrared photodetection device for detecting infrared radiation with a wavelength of 700 nm or larger comprising:

• a carrier transfer member comprised of a non-metallic material with a band gap;
• an absorber on one side of the carrier transfer member, the absorber being a metallic material in which electron-hole pairs are excited upon absorption of infrared radiation;
• and
• a semiconductor on the other side of the carrier transfer member, and in electrical contact with the carrier transfer member;
• and
• wherein the carrier transfer member contains trap states such that majority carriers excited in the absorber due to the infrared radiation are conducted via the trap states through the carrier transfer member to be collected by the semiconductor;
• and
• wherein the carrier transfer member is a metal oxide material with an oxygen sub-stoichiometry of 0.1% or more, the oxygen sub-stoichiometry being a percentage of oxygen missing from a structure of the metal oxide.