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We report far infrared (FIR) studies of plasmons in spatially modulated two‐dimensional electron gases (2DEGs) in AlGaAs/GaAs heterostructures using biased overlaid metal gratings, including interdigitated gratings, both as optical couplers and as spatially modulating gates. Comparison of the experimental results with the predictions of scattering matrix calculations of the FIR response of a modulated 2DEG in the presence of a perfectly conducting lamellar grating allow us to deduce the spatial variation of the number density distribution in the 2DEG as a function of grating bias. For the interdigitated grating gates, the 2DEG can be modulated at a period of twice that of the grating fingers by differentially biasing alternate fingers; 2D plasmon resonances have been observed at half‐integral values of the grating wave vector G, corresponding to the electrically induced periodicity of the 2DEG modulation itself acting as an optical coupler in addition to the metal grating. The observed G/2 plasmon frequencies decrease with increasing amplitude of the 2DEG number density modulation, in quantitative agreement with those obtained from scattering matrix calculations of the optical response of a modulated 2DEG under a perfectly conducting lamellar grating; calculations of the oscillating charge density profiles show that this occurs because, as the modulation amplitude increases, the oscillation becomes localized in regions of low 2DEG number density which are also under one of the sets of grating fingers, and is therefore better screened.

We report the observation of photovoltaic infrared photodetection in an n‐type GaAs/AlGaAs superlattice within the optical range 3.6–6.2 μm. A built‐in graded AlGaAs barrier (∼0.2 eV) provides charge polarization in the sample by allowing the optically excited electrons in the second miniband of the superlattice to diffuse over this barrier. The optical polarization of the infrared signal is consistent with the selection rules applicable to the superlattice. The infrared photoresponse results from first‐to‐second miniband as well as shallow donor‐to‐second miniband photoexcitations within the superlattice. Donor‐to‐second miniband photoexcitation is dominant at low temperatures (