The MPE/UCB far-infrared imaging Fabry-Perot interferometer (FIFI)

FIFI is an imaging spectrometer with two or three Fabry-Perot interferometers (FPI) in series for airborne astronomical observations in the far-infrared range (λ=40...200μm). It employs 5×5 arrays of photoconducting detectors and offers spectral resolutions as small as 2km/s. Resolution and bandwidth can be set over a wide range to match a variety of astronomical sources. Cryogenic optics minimizes thermal background radiation and provides for in-flight step tunable spatial resolution. At 158 μm wavelength the background-limited NEP is 3 × 10^-15W/?Hz at 40 km/s resolution and with two FPI's; with three FPI's the expected NEP is ≤10^-15W√Hz at 5 km/s resolution. The frequency-chopping mode of the high-resolution Fabry-Perot allows for line detection in extended objects. Absolute internal flux calibration ensures adequate “flat fielding” of the array elements.     

High performance SWIR HgCdTe detector arrays

Short wave infrared (SWIR) devices have been fabricated using Rockwell’s double layer planar heterostructure (DLPH) architecture with arsenic-ion implanted junctions. Molecular beam epitaxially grown HgCdTe/CdZnTe multilayer structures allowed the thin, tailored device geometries (typical active layer thickness was ∼3.5 μm and cap layer thickness was ∼0.4 μm) to be grown. A planar-mesa geometry that preserved the passivation advantages of the DLPH structure with enhanced optical collection improved the performance. Test detectors showed Band 7 detectors performing near the radiative limit (∼3-5X below theory). Band 5 detector performance was ∼4-50X lower than radiative limited performance, apparently due to Shockley-Hall-Read recombination. We have fabricated SWIR HgCdTe 256 × 12 × 2 arrays of 45 um × 45 μm detector on 45 μm × 60 μm centers and with cutoff wavelength which allows coverage of the Landsat Band 5 (1.5−1.75 μm) and Landsat Band 7 (2.08−2.35 μm) spectral regions. The hybridizable arrays have four subarrays, each having a different detector architecture. One of the Band 7 hybrids has demonstrated performance approaching the radiative theoretical limit for temperatures from 250 to 295K, consistent with test results. D* performance at 250K of the best subarray was high, with an operability of ∼99% at 10¹² cm Hz^1/2/W at a few mV bias. We have observed 1/f noise below 8E-17 AHz ^1/2 at 1 Hz. Also for Band 7 test structures, Ge thin film diffractive microlenses fabricated directly on the back side of the CdZnTe substrate showed the ability to increase the effective collection area of small (nominally <20 μm μm) planar-mesa diodes to the microlens size of 48 urn. Using microlenses allows array performance to exceed 1-D theory up to a factor of 5.     

Pyroelectric infrared detector for precision earth sensor

Two new types of infrared detectors have been developed for the precision earth sensor in the three axis stabilized satellite, Engineering Test Satellite VI (ETS-VI). Both detectors have a pair of infrared sensing elements, each of which is made of a pyroelectric material and mounted on an immersion lens. A-type element is a flake of lead titanate ceramic, and B-type is a sputtered epitaxial film of calcium-modified lead titanate. The precision earth sensor consists of a scanning mirror and an infrared telescope containing an objective lens, plus either type of infrared detector. Detectivity of each type at 120Hz, which is the nominal frequency of the earth sensor's signal, is 1.5×10⁹Hz^1/2/W(A-type) and 2.7×10⁹Hz^1/2/W(B-type) at 14～16.25μm. Each value is 2.5 and 4.5 times as high as the previous model in ETS-V. A-type detector passed the space environmental test and the random error cf attitude measurement was 0.03 deg with the preliminary model of the earth sensor being ahead of the breadboard model. This measurement accuracy is nearly equal to that of the foremost earth sensor. A-type was chosen as the detector for ETS-VI. The random error of the earth sensor with B-type detector is 0.012deg, smaller than a half of the A-type sensor's error. Investigation of B-type is being continued in order to confirm its reliability for space use.     

Enhancement of Real-Time THz Imaging System Based on 320 × 240 Uncooled Microbolometer Detector

A real-time terahertz (THz) imaging system was demonstrated based on a 320?×?240 uncooled microbolometer detector combined with a 2.52 THz far-infrared CO₂ laser. On the top of micro-bridge structure (35?×?35 μm²), a 10 nm nickel-chromium (NiCr) thin film was deposited to enhance THz absorption, which was fabricated by a combined process of magnetron sputtering and reactive ion etching (RIE). By mechanical simulation using design of experiment (DOE) method, the minimum deformation was optimized to 0.0385 μm, and a measured deformation of 0.097 μm was achieved in the fabrication. The fabricated micro-bridge pixel was used for THz detection, and a responsivity of 1235 V/W was achieved with a noise equivalent power (NEP) of 87.4 pW/Hz^1/2. THz imaging of metal gasket covered by label paper, paper clip in an envelope, and watermark of a banknote was demonstrated by a combination of histogram equalization (HE) and linear enhancement algorithm.     

Study on antireflective coatings of PbTe/PbSnTe heterojunction infrared detectors

ZnS antireflective coatings and passivation layer are developed on self-made PbTe/PbSnTe heterojunction infrared detectors and following experiments have been finished: WaterProof properties of ZnS coatings; Anti-reflective properties of PbSnTe materials and their detectors with ZnS coatings, respectively; ageing and stability tests of the PbSnTe detectors with ZnS coatings. All experimental results are excellent: The typical detectivity (D^*) of PbSnTe detector is 2.83×10¹⁰ cmHz^1/2W^?1. (with peak wavelength λp=9.8 μm and cut-off wavelength λc=11.7 μm). Average detectivity of the PbSnTe detector with ZnS anti-reflective coatings is increased by 45%. Ageing tests indicated that the PbSnTe detectors with ZnS coatings have still high stabilities after several years. They are used successfully in medical infrared imaging systems and other applications.     

Detectivity studies of SMD-packaged ZnSSe and ZnMgS UV detectors

The 1/f noise and shot noise studies were carried out on molecular beam epitaxy (MBE)-grown ZnS_0.85Se_0.15 and Zn_0.43Mg_0.57S ultraviolet (UV) detectors packaged in surface mount lead frames. Three ZnS_0.85Se_0.15 detectors with different thicknesses of the active layer and the top electrode pad were used. The highest onset of reverse bias for the appearance of 1/f noise is ?27.5 V, and the highest dark resistances at zero bias is R₀=3.7×10¹³ Θ. The observed difference in their noise performance implies that the increase of the thicknesses of both the active layer and the top electrode pad can significantly lower the noise levels and in turn lead to higher detectivity. The best detectivity achieved is 8.75×10¹³ cm Hz^1/2 W^?1 in a ZnS_0.85Se_0.15 detector with an active layer of 5000 Å and a top electrode pad of Cr (50 Å)/Au (8000 Å). The typical detectivity achieved on Zn_0.43Mg_0.57S devices that have an active layer thickness just exceeds the critical thickness of phase transition is 1.54×10¹² cm Hz^1/2 W^?1.     

Performance and materials aspects of Ge:Be photoconductors

Ge:Be photoconductors have been developed for low photon background applications in the 30–50 μm wavelength region. These detectors provide higher responsivity and lower noise equivalent power (NEP) than the Ge:Ga detectors currently operating in this wavelength range. Berylliumdoped single crystals were grown by the Czochralski method from a carbon susceptor under a vacuum of ～ 10^?6 torr. We report an optimum detective quantum efficiency of 46% at a background flux of 1.5×10⁸ photons/second (7×10^?13 W). Ge:Be detector performance is strongly influenced by the absolute concentrations and the concentration ratio of residual shallow donors and shallow acceptors.     

Far-infrared observations of the galactic Cygnus region and Mars with a 60 cm diameter balloon-borne telescope

We have introduced secondary-mirror chopping in our balloon-borne far-infrared 60 cm Ø telescope equipped with He-cooled filters and a composite silicon bolometer with an NEP of 1.3 10^?14 W/Hz^1/2 for imaging, radiometry and spectroscopy of the Cygnus region at the wavelengths 80 μm, 130 μm and 310 μm. The modified system was flown on September 26/27, 1990 with a 380'000m³ hydrogen balloon at the CNES station at Aire/Adour, France. Observations were performed at a platform height of 39 km during 5 hrs. We made successful measurements on the complexes DR21 and S106 of the Cygnus region as well as on Mars at the wavelengths mentioned.     

1/f noise in very-long-wavelength infrared Hg1−xCdx Te detectors

This paper investigates 1/f noise performance of very-long-wavelength infrared (VLWIR) Hg_1−xCd_xTe (cutoff wavelengths λ_c=15 μm and λ_c=16 μm) photodiodes at 78 K, where detector current is varied by changing detector area, detector bias, and illumination conditions. Holding detector bias and temperature constant, the 1/f noise current is proportional to the detector current. Significant nonuniformity is observed in the noise data for each detector area because of the varying detector quality. Defects are presumed resident in the detectors to produce greater nonuniformity in 1/f noise as compared to dark current at 100-mV reverse bias. For λ_c=16 μm, 4-μ-radius, diffusion-limited diodes at 78 K and 100-mV reverse bias, the average dark current is I_d=9.76±1.59×10⁻⁸ A, while the average noise current measured at 1 Hz is i_n=1.01±0.63×10⁻¹² A/Hz^1/2. For all detector areas measured, the average ratio in 1-Hz bandwidth is α _D =i_n/I_d=1.39±1.09×10⁻⁵. The 1/f noise was also measured on one diode as a function of detector-dark current as the applied bias is varied. In the diffusion-limited portion of this detector’s current-voltage (I-V) curve, to about 130 mV, the 1/f noise was independent of bias. For this diode, the ratio α_D=i_n/I_d=1.51±0.12×10⁻⁵. The 1/f noise associated with tunneling currents is a factor of 3 greater than the 1/f noise associated with diffusion currents, α_T=i_n/I_T=5.21±0.83×10⁻⁵. In addition, 1/f noise was measured on detectors held at −100 mV and 78K under dark and illuminated conditions. The measured ratios α_P ∼α_D ∼1.5×10⁻⁵ were about the same for the dark and photon-induced diffusion currents. Therefore, the diffusion current appears to have a unique value of α as compared to the tunneling current. This may be indicative of unique noise-generation mechanisms associated with each current.     

Imaging one-dimensional and two-dimensional planar photodiode detectors fabricated by ion milling molecular beam epitaxy CdHgTe

Imaging one-dimensional (1-D) and two-dimensional (2-D) arrays of mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR) and long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) planar photodiodes were fabricated by ion milling of vacancy-doped molecular beam epitaxy Cd_xHg_1−xTe layers. Sixty-four-element 1-D arrays of 26×26 μm² or 26×56 μm² diodes were processed. Zero-bias resistance-area values (R₀A) at 77 K of 4×10⁶ Θcm² at cutoff wavelength λ_CO=4.5 μm were measured, as well as high quantum efficiencies. To avoid creating a leakage current during ball bonding to the 1-D array diodes, a ZnS layer was deposited on top of the CdTe passivation layer, as well as extra electroplated Au on the bonding pads. The best measured noise equivalent temperature difference (NETD) on a LWIR array was 8 mK, with a median of 14 mK for the 42 operable diodes. The best measured NETD on a MWIR array was 18 mK. Two-D arrays showed reasonably good uniformity of R₀A and zero-bias current (I₀) values. The first 64×64 element 2-D array of 16×16 μm² MWIR diodes has been hybridized to read-out electronics and gave median NETD of 60 mK.     

Fabrication and characterization of two-color midwavelength/long wavelength HgCdTe infrared detectors

High-performance 20-μm unit-cell two-color detectors using an n-p⁺-n HgCdTe triple-layer heterojunction (TLHJ) device architecture grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) on (211)-oriented CdZnTe substrates with midwavelength (MW) infrared and long wavelength (LW) infrared spectral bands have been demonstrated. Detectors with nominal MW and LW cut-off wavelengths of 5.5 μm and 10.5 μm, respectively, exhibit 78 K LW performance with >70 % quantum efficiency, reverse bias dark currents below 300 pA, and RA products (zero field of view, 150-mV bias) in excess of 1×10³ Ωcm². Temperature-dependent current-voltage (I–V) detector measurements show diffusion-limited LW dark current performance extending to temperatures below 70 K with good operating bias stability (150 mV ± 50 mV). These results reflect the successful implementation of MBE-grown TLHJ detector designs and the introduction of advanced photolithography techniques with inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etching to achieve high aspect ratio mesa delineation of individual detector elements with benefits to detector performance. These detector improvements complement the development of high operability large format 640×480 and 1280×720 two-color HgCdTe infrared focal plane arrays (FPAs) to support third generation forward looking infrared (FLIR) systems.     

Instability of characteristics of SiC detectors subjected to extreme fluence of nuclear particles

The operation of detectors irradiated with 8-MeV protons at a fluence of 3 × 10¹⁴ cm^?2 has been studied. The detectors were based on modern CVD-grown n-4H-SiC films with a concentration of uncompensated donors equal to ～2 × 10¹⁴ cm^?3 and a thickness of 55 μm. The high concentration of primary radiation defects (～2 × 10¹⁷ cm^?3) determined the deep compensation of the films. The basic characteristics of the detectors—pulse amplitude and resolution—exhibited temporal instability. This effect is due to prolonged capture of nonequilibrium carriers by radiation centers and the resulting appearance of a polarization voltage in the bulk of the detector. The kinetics of attainment of steady values by the quantities specified above was analyzed.     

Development and operation of a balloon-borne telescope for fir imaging,radiometry and spectrometry of the galactic cygnus region

We have designed and built a balloon-borne far-infrared 60 cm telescope equipped with He-cooled filters and a composite silicon bolometer with an NEP of 1.3·10^?14 W/Hz^1/2 for imaging, radiometry and spectroscopy of the Cygnus region at wavelengths up to 330 μm. A test flight took place at the CNES balloon station at Aire/Adour, F, on May 8, 1989. The balloon stayed 4_1/2 h at the observation height of 39 km. Tests and results are discussed.     

Mid-wavelength infrared p-on-n Hg1−xCdxTe heterostructure detectors: 30–120 kelvin state-of-the-Art performance

We report on Hg_1−xCd_xTe mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR) detectors grown by molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE) on CdZnTe substrates. Current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of HgCdTe-MWIR devices and temperature dependence of focal-plane array (FPA) dark current have been investigated and compared with the most recent InSb published data. These MWIR p-on-n Hg_1−xCd_xTe/CdZnTe heterostructure detectors give outstanding performance, and at 68 K, they are limited by diffusion currents. For temperatures lower than 68 K, in the near small-bias region, another current is dominant. This current has lower sensitivity to temperature and most likely is of tunneling origin. High-performance MWIR devices and arrays were fabricated with median R_oA values of 3.96 × 10¹⁰ Ω-cm² at 78 K and 1.27 × 10¹² Ω-cm² at 60 K; the quantum efficiency (QE) without an antireflection (AR) coating was 73% for a cutoff wavelength of 5.3 μm at 78 K. The QE measurement was performed with a narrow pass filter centered at 3.5 μm. Many large-format MWIR 1024 × 1024 FPAs were fabricated and tested as a function of temperature to confirm the ultra-low dark currents observed in individual devices. For these MWIR FPAs, dark current as low as 0.01 e⁻/pixel/sec at 58 K for 18 × 18 μm pixels was measured. The 1024 × 1024 array operability and AR-coated QE at 78 K were 99.48% and 88.3%, respectively. A comparison of these results with the state-of-the-art InSb-detector data suggests MWIR-HgCdTe devices have significantly higher performance in the 30–120 K temperature range. The InSb detectors are dominated by generation-recombination (G-R) currents in the 60–120 K temperature range because of a defect center in the energy gap, whereas MWIR-HgCdTe detectors do not exhibit G-R-type currents in this temperature range and are limited by diffusion currents.     

Characterization of high purity GaAs far-infrared photoconductors

In this paper we report the results of an extensive study on the far-infrared photoconductivity of high purityn-type GaAs. The crystal, which was grown at Max-Plank-Institute for Solid State Physics using liquid-phase epitaxy, exhibited the fine structures of the excited state transitions of the residual shallow level impurities. The major peak in the spectral response belongs to the 1s-2p transition, with its responsivity about thirty five times higher than the continuum. At 3.4K detector temperature, 625 mV bias, and 100 Hz chopping frequency the detector responsivity at 35.4 cm^?1 (279 µm) was measured to be 0.017 A/W. Under these same conditions, the NEP was 5.9×10^?14 W/√Hz. The (DC) dark current at 25 mV bias was 5.6×10^?14 A.     

High-temperature nuclear-detector arrays based on 4 <Emphasis Type="Italic">H</Emphasis>-SiC ion-implantation-doped <Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis><Superscript>+</Superscript>-<Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis> junctions

Results obtained in a study of spectrometric characteristics of arrays of four detectors based on 4H-SiC ion-implantation-doped p ⁺-n junctions in the temperature range 25–140 °C are reported for the first time. The junctions were fabricated by ion implantation of aluminum into epitaxial 4H-SiC layers of thickness ≤45 μm, grown by chemical vapor deposition with uncompensated donor concentration N _d ? N _a = (4–6) × 10¹⁴ cm^?3. The structural features of the ion-implantation-doped p ⁺-layers were studied by secondary-ion mass spectrometry, transmission electron microscopy, and Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy in the channeling mode. Parameters of the diode arrays were determined by testing in air with natural-decay alpha particles with an energy of 3.76 MeV. The previously obtained data for similar single detectors were experimentally confirmed: the basic characteristics of the detector arrays, the charge collection efficiency and energy resolution, are improved as the working temperature increases.     

Open tube vapor transport growth of Pb1−xSnxTe epitaxial films for infrared detectors

Epitaxial films of Pb_1−xSn_xTe have been grown by open tube vapor transport on (100) Pb_1−xSn_xTe substrates. The as-grown films are suitable for detector array fabrication with respect to both surface smoothness and electrical properties. Charge compositions from 1% excess metal to 1% excess Te were used. Growth rates up to 3–4 ym per hour were achieved. The asgrown carrier concentrations varied from 3 × 10¹⁶cm⁻³ to 3 × 10¹⁷cm⁻³ depending on growth temperature and charge composition. Schottky barrier detectors with semi-transparent electrodes were fabricated on as-grown layers with no surface preparation. Good uniformity of detector parameters was obtained with arrays of 20 to 40 elements. The array size is not limited by either substrate size or epitaxial quality. Resistance-area products on the order of 1 ohm-cm were obtained at 77 K for detectors with a 12 ym long wavelength cutoff. Quantum efficiencies for 8–12 urn radiation were 40–50%. Peak response and 50% cutoff occurred at 11 and 12 ym, respectively. Uniformity of cutoff wavelength across the arrays of ± 0.1 ym was obtained.     

A Highly Sensitive Multi-element HgCdTe e-APD Detector for IPDA Lidar Applications

An HgCdTe electron avalanche photodiode (e-APD) detector has been developed for lidar receivers, one application of which is integrated path differential absorption lidar measurements of such atmospheric trace gases as CO₂ and CH₄. The HgCdTe APD has a wide, visible to mid-wave-infrared, spectral response, high dynamic range, substantially improved sensitivity, and an expected improvement in operational lifetime. A demonstration sensor-chip assembly consisting of a 4.3 μm cutoff HgCdTe 4 × 4 APD detector array with 80 μm pitch pixels and a custom complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor readout integrated circuit was developed. For one typical array the APD gain was 654 at 12 V with corresponding gain normalized dark currents ranging from 1.2 fA to 3.2 fA. The 4 × 4 detector system was characterized at 77 K with a 1.55 μm wavelength, 1 μs wide, laser pulse. The measured unit gain detector photon conversion efficiency was 91.1%. At 11 V bias the mean measured APD gain at 77 K was 307.8 with σ/mean uniformity of 1.23%. The average, noise-bandwidth normalized, system noise-equivalent power (NEP) was 1.04 fW/Hz^1/2 with a σ/mean of 3.8%. The measured, electronics-limited, bandwidth of 6.8 MHz was more than adequate for 1 μs pulse detection. The system had an NEP (3 MHz) of 0.4 fW/Hz^1/2 at 12 V APD bias and a linear dynamic range close to 1000. A gain-independent quantum-limited SNR of 80% of full theoretical was indicative of a gain-independent excess noise factor very close to 1.0 and the expected APD mode quantum efficiency.     

A Novel CMOS Multi-band THz Detector with Embedded Ring Antenna

To overcome the large chip area occupation for the traditional terahertz multi-frequency detector by using the antenna elements in a different frequency, a novel structure for a multi-frequency detector is proposed and studied. Based on the ring antenna detector, an embedded multi-ring antenna with multi-port is proposed for the multi-frequency detector. A single-ring and dual-ring detectors are analyzed and designed in 0.18 μ m CMOS. For the single-ring detector, the best responsivity and NEP is 701 V/W and 261 pW/Hz^0.5 at the frequency of 290 GHz. For the dual-ring detector, the best responsivity is 367 V/W and 297 V/W, NEP is 578 pW/Hz^0.5 and 713pW/Hz^0.5, at the frequency of 600 GHz and 806 GHz, respectively. This embedded multi-ring detector has a simple structure which can be expanded easily in a compact size.     

Small two-dimensional arrays of mid-wavelength infrared HgCdTe diodes fabricated by reactive ion etching-induced p-to-n-type conversion

The reactive ion etching (RIE) technique has been shown to produce high-performance n-on-p junctions by localized-type conversion of p-type mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR) HgCdTe material. This paper presents variable area analysis of n-on-p HgCdTe test diodes and data on two-dimensional (2-D) arrays fabricated by RIE. All devices were fabricated on x = 0.30 to 0.31 liquid-phase epitaxy (LPE) grown p-type (p = ∼1 × 10¹⁶ cm⁻³) HgCdTe wafers obtained from Fermionics Corp. The diameter of the circular test diodes varied from 50 μm to 600 μm. The 8 × 8 arrays comprised of 50 μm × 50 μm devices on a 100-μm pitch, and all devices were passivated with 5000 ? of thermally deposited CdTe. At temperatures >145 K, all devices are diffusion limited; at lower temperatures, generation-recombination (G-R) current dominates. At the lowest measurement temperature (77 K), the onset of tunneling can be observed. At 77 K, the value of 1/R₀A for large devices shows quadratic dependence on the junction perimeter/area ratio (P/A), indicating the effect of surface leakage current at the junction perimeter, and gives an extracted bulk value for R₀A of 2.8 × 10⁷ Ω cm². The 1/R₀A versus P/A at 195 K exhibits the well-known linear dependence that extrapolates to a bulk value for R₀A of 17.5 Ω cm². Measurements at 77 K on the small 8 × 8 test arrays were found to demonstrate very good uniformity with an average R₀A = 1.9 × 10⁶ Ω cm² with 0° field of view and D* = 2.7 × 10¹¹cm Hz^1/2/W with 60° field of view looking at 300 K background.