Vertically integrated optics for ballistic electron emission luminescence microscopy

Abstract

We have integrated a photon detector directly into a ballistic electron emission luminescence (BEEL) heterostructure, just below a luminescent quantum well. Results from solid-state metal-base hot-electron transistors fabricated with this collector design indicate that more than 10% of the photons emitted by the quantum well excite photoelectrons in the detector region. The improved photonic coupling and effective collection angle in this scheme improves the BEEL signal by many orders of magnitude as compared to far-field detection with the most sensitive single-photon counters, enabling BEEL microscopy in systems with no optical components.