VLWIR HgCdTe detector current-voltage analysis

This article details current-voltage characteristics for a very long wavelength infrared (VLWIR) Hg_1−x Cd_xTe detector from Raytheon Vision Systems with a cutoff wavelength of 20.0 μm at 28 K. In this article, the VLWIR detector diode currents are modeled as a function of bias and temperature. This in-depth current model includes diffusion, band-to-band tunneling, trap-assisted tunneling (TAT), and shunt currents. The trap density has been extracted from the modeled TAT component of the current and was revealed to be relatively temperature-independent. An attempted incorporation of VLWIR detector susceptibility to stress has also been included through variation of the model parameter associated with the p-n junction electric field strength. This field variation accounts for stress induced piezoelectric fields. The current in this VLWIR detector was found to be diffusion-limited under much of the temperature and bias ranges analyzed. This modeling allows the scrutiny of both the dominant current-limiting mechanism and the magnitudes of the various current components as a function of both bias and temperature, allowing the straightforward determination of the ideal operating conditions for a given detector.