A complete quantum mechanical model for GaAs/AlGaAs quantum well infrared photodetectors(QWIPs) was presented. The photocurrent was investigated by the optical transition(absorption coefficient)between the ground state and the excited states due to the nonzero component of the radiation field along the sample growth direction. By studying the inter-diffusion of the Al atoms across the GaAs/AlGaAs heterointer faces, the mobility of the drift-diffusion carriers in the excited states was calculated. As a result, the measurement results of the dark current and the photocurrent spectra are explained theoretically.