Quantum cascade detectors (QCDs) support high-speed, room temperature operation and together with low dark-current detection due to their unbiased operation, open pathways for low-noise applications. The realization of monolithic devices, integrating active and passive components like lasers, detectors and waveguides into photonic integrated circuits (PICs), makes them suitable for sensing and telecommunication applications. Midinfrared free space optical links promise small device footprints, low power consumption and high modulation speeds with high connection stability and reliability even under harsh weather conditions like fog and rain. Especially devices operating in the long-wave infrared (LWIR) atmospheric window from 8-12 µm are perfect candidates for such systems. We present the first room-temperature lnGaAs/lnAIAs ridge QCDs covering the LWIR from A~8.2-9.8 µm. An experimental comparison between similar single and multi-period QCDs shows !hat the reduction of the number of periods significantly increases the device responsivity. The spectral responsivity characterization of the devices was conducted with an external-cavity quantum cascade laser, able to cover a wavelength range from 8-12 µm. By normalizing the incoupled optical power with the use of the calculated optical active area, a record-high room temperature (RT) peak responsivity for LWIR QCDs of RP = 0.411 A/W for the single­period device and a still high RP = 0.111 A/W for the 15-period device was extracted. Temperature dependent detectivity measurements and corresponding noise equivalent powers at RT of NEP1 = 83.6 pW/✓Hz of the single-period device and NEP15 = 80.9 pW/✓Hz of the 15-period device show !hat the noise performance of the two designs is comparable. Thus, our experimental results prove a sharp increase in QCD responsivity without impairing the noise performance by a reduction of the number of periods.