Process simulation for HgCdTe infrared focal plane array flexible manufacturing

The strategy and status of a process simulator for the flexible manufacture of HgCdTe infrared focal plane arrays is described. It has capabilities to simulate Hg vacancy and interstitial effects and cation impurity diffusion, for various boundary conditions in one dimension. Numerical complexity of these problems stems from the necessity of solving diffusion equations for each defect that are coupled to each other via nonlinear interaction terms. The simulator has already led to the prediction of heretofore unexplained experimental data. Current extensions of the one-dimensional simulator planned over the next few years include the addition of Te antisites, antisite-Hg vacancy pairs, and In-Hg vacancy pairs, ion implantation, and various energetic processes (such as ion milling). The sequential effect of various processes will be possible with the input to the simulator looking much like a process run sheet.