http://antonirogalski.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Infrared-detectors-Status-and-trends.pdf

Infrared detectors: status and trends

Hitherto, two distinct families of multielement detector arrays have been used for infrared (IR) imaging system applications: linear arrays for scanning systems (first generation) and two-dimensional arrays for staring systems (second generation). Nowadays, third-generation IR systems are being developed which, in the common understanding, provide enhanced capabilities such as larger numbers of pixels, higher frame rates, better thermal resolution, multicolor functionality, and/or other on-chip signal-processing functions. In this paper, fundamental and technological issues associated with the development and exploitation of third-generation IR photon detectors are discussed. In this class of detectors the two main competitors, HgCdTe photodiodes and quantum-well photoconductors, are considered. This is followed by discussions focused on the most recently developed focal plane arrays based on type-II strained-layer superlattices and quantum dot IR photodetectors. The main challenges facing multicolor devi...

Third-generation infrared photodetector arrays

In this paper, we report a successful realization and integration of a gold two-dimensional hole array (2DHA) structure with semiconductor InAs quantum dot (QD). We show experimentally that a properly designed 2DHA-QD photodetector can facilitate a strong plasmonic-QD interaction, leading to a 130% absolute enhancement of infrared photoresponse at the plasmonic resonance. Our study indicates two key mechanisms for the performance improvement. One is an optimized 2DHA design that permits an efficient coupling of light from the far-field to a localized plasmonic mode. The other is the close spatial matching of the QD layers to the wave function extent of the plasmonic mode. Furthermore, the processing of our 2DHA is amenable to large scale fabrication and, more importantly, does not degrade the noise current characteristics of the photodetector. We believe that this demonstration would bring the performance of QD-based infrared detectors to a level suitable for emerging surveillance and medical diagnostic applications.

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A Surface Plasmon Enhanced Infrared Photodetector Based on InAs Quantum Dots

The paper compares the achievements of quantum well infrared photodetector (QWIP) technology with those of competitive technologies, with the emphasis on the material properties, device structure, and their impact on focal plane array (FPA) performance. Special attention is paid to two competitive technologies, QWIP and HgCdTe, in the long-wavelength IR (LWIR) and very-long-wavelength IR (VLWIR) spectral ranges. Because so far, the dialogue between the QWIP and HgCdTe communities is limited, the paper attempts to settle the main issues of both technologies. Such an approach, however, requires the presentation of fundamental limits to the different types of detectors, which is made at the beginning. To write the paper more clearly for readers, many details are included in the Appendix. In comparative studies both photon and thermal detectors are considered. Emphasis is placed on photon detectors. In this group one may distinguish HgCdTe photodiodes, InSb photodiodes, and doped silicon detectors. The potential performance of different materials as infrared detectors is examined utilizing the α/G ratio, where α is the absorption coefficient and G is the thermal generation rate. It is demonstrated that LWIR QWIP’s cannot compete with HgCdTe photodiodes as single devices, especially at higher operating temperatures (>70 K). This is due to the fundamental limitations associated with intersubband transitions. The advantage of HgCdTe is, however, less distinct at temperatures lower than 50 K due to problems inherent in the HgCdTe material (p-type doping, Shockley–Read recombination, trap-assisted tunneling, surface and interface instabilities). Even though QWIP is a photoconductor, several of its properties, such as high impedance, fast response time, long integration time, and low power consumption, comply well with the requirements imposed on the fabrication of large FPA’s. Due to a high material quality at low temperatures, QWIP has potential advantages over HgCdTe in the area of VLWIR FPA applications in terms of array size, uniformity, yield, and cost of the systems. The performance figures of merit of state-of-the-art QWIP and HgCdTe FPA’s are similar because the main limitations come from the readout circuits. Performance is, however, achieved with very different integration times. The choice of the best technology is therefore driven by the specific needs of a system. In the case of readout-limited detectors a low photoconductive gain increases the signal-to-noise ratio and a QWIP FPA can have a better noise equivalent difference temperature than an HgCdTe FPA with a charge well of similar size. Both HgCdTe photodiodes and QWIP’s offer multicolor capability in the MWIR and LWIR range. Powerful possibilities offered by QWIP technology are associated with VLWIR FPA applications and with multicolor detection. The intrinsic advantage of QWIP’s in this niche is due to the relative ease of growing multicolor structures with a very low defect density.

Quantum well photoconductors in infrared detector technology

http://www.antonirogalski.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Quantum-dot-infrared-photodetectors-Status-and-outlook.pdf

Quantum-dot infrared photodetectors: Status and outlook

We have designed and fabricated an optimized long-wavelength/very-long wavelength two-color quantum well infrared photodetector (QWIP) device structure. The device structure was grown on a 3-in semi-insulating GaAs substrate by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). The wafer was processed into several 640/spl times/486 format monolithically integrated 8-9 and 14-15 /spl mu/m two-color (or dual wavelength) QWIP focal plane arrays (FPAs). These FPAs were then hybridized to 640/spl times/486 silicon CMOS readout multiplexers. A thinned (i.e., substrate removed) FPA hybrid was integrated into a liquid helium cooled dewar for electrical and optical characterization and to demonstrate simultaneous two-color imagery. The 8-9 /spl mu/m detectors in the FPA have shown background limited performance (BLIP) at 70 K operating temperature for 300 K background with f/2 cold stop. The 14-15 /spl mu/m detectors of the FPA reaches BLIP at 40 K operating temperature under the same background conditions. In this paper we discuss the performance of this long-wavelength dualband QWIP FPA in terms of quantum efficiency, detectivity, noise equivalent temperature difference (NE/spl Delta/T), uniformity, and operability.

640/spl times/486 long-wavelength two-color GaAs/AlGaAs quantum well infrared photodetector (QWIP) focal plane array camera

Epitaxially grown self-assembled InAs-InGaAs-GaAs quantum dots (QDs) are exploited for the development of large-format long-wavelength infrared focal plane arrays (FPAs). The dot-in-a-well (DWELL) structures were experimentally shown to absorb both 45deg and normal incident light, therefore, a reflection grating structure was used to enhance the quantum efficiency. The devices exhibit peak responsivity out to 8.1 mum, with peak detectivity reaching ~1times1010 Jones at 77 K. The devices were fabricated into the first long-wavelength 640times512 pixel QD infrared photodetector imaging FPA, which has produced excellent infrared imagery with noise equivalent temperature difference of 40 mK at 60-K operating temperature

B. Rafol

Papers

640/spl times/486 long-wavelength two-color GaAs/AlGaAs quantum well infrared photodetector (QWIP) focal plane array camera

640 $\,\times\,$ 512 Pixels Long-Wavelength Infrared (LWIR) Quantum-Dot Infrared Photodetector (QDIP) Imaging Focal Plane Array