Electrical characteristics of Hg/sub 1-x/Cd/sub x/Te epilayers subjected to ultrasonic influence
The degradation of electrophysical characteristics of Hg1-xCdxTe thin films grown by LPE and MBE as a consequence of the high-frequency and high-intensity elastic deformation effect was investigated It was determined that parameters of Hg1-xCdxTe thin films grown by MBE are stable to ultrasonic influence whereas for Hg1-xCdxTe thin films grown by LPE the mobility decrease and the change of the conductivity type at low magnetic field wae observed The best agreement between experiment and calculation was obtained in the frame of assumption about forming of the thin layer with opposite conductivity. The possible mechanism of Ihe observing effects was analyzed.
MCT heteroepitaxial 4 × 288 FPA
Abstract 4 × 288 heteroepitaxial mercury–cadmium telluride (MCT) linear arrays for long wavelength infrared (LWIR) applications with 28 × 25 micron diodes and charge coupled devices (CCD) silicon readouts were designed, manufactured and tested. MCT heteroepitaxial layers were grown by MBE technology on (0 1 3) GaAs substrates with CdZnTe buffer layers and had cutoff wavelength λco≈11.8±0.15 μm at T=78 K. To decrease the surface influence of carrier recombination processes the compositionally dependent layers with increase of Cd content both toward the surface and HgCdTe/CdZnTe boundary interface were grown. Silicon readouts with CCD multiplexers with input direct injection circuits were designed, manufactured and tested. The testing procedure, to qualify readout integrated circuits on wafer level at T=300 K, was worked out. The silicon readouts for 4 × 288 arrays, with skimming and partitioning functions included were manufactured by n-channel MOS technology with buried or surface channel CCD register. The HgCdTe arrays and Si CCD readouts were hybridized by cold welding indium bumps technology. With skimming mode used for 4 × 288 MCT n–p-junctions, the detectivity for several tested 4 × 288 arrays was within D λ ∗ ≅9×10 10 –1.8×10 11 cm Hz1/2/W for background temperature Tb=295 K.
Attainment of high sensitivity at elevated operating temperatures with staring hybrid HgCdTe-on-sapphire focal plane arrays
Cost-effective high-performance IR imaging cameras need affordable staring focal plane arrays (FPAs) that can operate effectively at temperatures compatible with inexpensive long-life coolers. We report on staring hybrid 128 x 128 and 256 x 256 Hg1-xCdxTe FPAs that have requisite yield, sensitivity, operability, and reliability at a medium-wavelength IR (MWIR) cutoff wavelength (λc ~4.6 μm at 180 K) and elevated operating temperatures. Mean 256 x 256 FPA noise-equivalent temperature differences (NEΔT) using broadband f/1.7 optics were 4.3, 7.7, and 55 mK at 120, 140, and 180 K, respectively. We extrapolate that camera NEΔT ≤ 0.02 K can be achieved at 190 K using optimized (λc of ~4.4 μm (180 K), a 3.4- to 4.2-μm bandpass filter, and f/1 optics. Because the CMOS multiplexers have a low-power dissipation and need little ancillary circuitry in the dewar, a viable thermoelectrically-cooled FPA technology is thus implied once the λc is optimized for MWIR imaging.