Superlattice quantum well infrared detector

A sensing apparatus comprising:

• a thermopile including:
• a substrate;
• an absorber positioned about the substrate, the absorber for receiving thermal energy from an external source;
• a first arm positioned on a first side of the absorber and being formed of a first superlattice quantum well structure including a first plurality of alternating layers to thermally isolate the first arm;
• and
• a second arm positioned on a second side of the absorber and being formed of a second superlattice quantum well structure including a second plurality of alternating layers to thermally isolate the second arm.

A sensing apparatus comprising:

• a thermopile for providing an electrical signal indicative of thermal energy, the thermopile including:
• a substrate;
• an absorber positioned about the substrate, the absorber for receiving thermal energy from an external source to provide the electrical signal;
• and
• a first arm positioned on a first side of the absorber and being formed of a first superlattice quantum well structure including a first plurality of alternating layers that is arranged to extend in a first plane and to enable flow of the electrical signal along the first plane.

A sensing apparatus comprising:

• a thermopile to provide an electrical signal indicative of thermal energy, the thermopile including:
• a substrate;
• an absorber positioned about the substrate, the absorber to receive thermal energy from a source to provide the electrical signal, the absorber being formed of a superlattice quantum well structure including a first plurality of alternating layers that is arranged to extend in a first plane and to enable flow of the electrical signal along the first plane;
• and
• a first arm positioned on a first side of the absorber and being formed of a first superlattice quantum well structure including a first plurality of alternating layers that is arranged to extend in the first plane and to enable flow of the electrical signal along the first plane.

A method for forming a sensing apparatus, the method comprising:

• forming a substrate:
• forming an absorber, the absorber for receiving thermal energy from an external source;
• forming a first arm on a first side of the absorber with a first quantum well structure including a plurality of first plurality of alternating layers;
• and
• forming a second arm on a second side of the absorber with a second quantum well structure including a second plurality of alternating layers.