Competitive technologies of third generation infrared photon detectors

Hitherto, two families of multielement infrared (IR) detectors are used for principal military and civilian infrared applications; one is used for scanning systems (first generation) and the other is used for staring systems (second generation). Third generation systems are being developed nowadays. In the common understanding, third generation IR systems provide enhanced capabilities like larger number of pixels, higher frame rates, better thermal resolution as well as multicolour functionality and other on-chip functions. In the paper, issues associated with the development and exploitation of materials used in fabrication of third generation infrared photon detectors are discussed. In this class of detectors two main competitors, HgCdTe photodiodes and quantum well IR photoconductors (QWIPs) are considered. The performance figures of merit of state-of-the-art HgCdTe and QWIP focal plane arrays (FPAs) are similar because the main limitations come from the readout circuits. However, the metallurgical issues of the epitaxial layers such as uniformity and number of defected elements are the serious problems in the case of long wavelength infrared (LWIR) and very LWIR (VLWIR) HgCdTe FPAs. It is predicted that superlattice based InAs/GaInSb system grown on GaSb substrate seems to be an attractive to HgCdTe with good spatial uniformity and an ability to span cutoff wavelength from 3 to 25 μm.     

Heterostructure infrared photovoltaic detectors

HgCdTe remains the most important material for infrared (IR) photodetectors despite numerous attempts to replace it with alternative materials such as closely related mercury alloys (HgZnTe, HgMnTe), Schottky barriers on silicon, SiGe heterojunctions, GaAs/AlGaAs multiple quantum wells, InAs/GaInSb strained layer superlattices, high temperature superconductors and especially two types of thermal detectors: pyroelectric detectors and silicon bolometers. It is interesting, however, that none of these competitors can compete in terms of fundamental properties. In addition, HgCdTe exhibits nearly constant lattice parameter which is of extreme importance for new devices based on complex heterostructures. The development of sophisticated controllable vapour phase epitaxial growth methods, such as MBE and MOCVD, has allowed fabrication of almost ideally designed heterojunction photodiodes. In this paper, examples of novel devices based on heterostructures operating in the long wavelength, middle wavelength and short wavelength spectral ranges are presented. Recently, more interest has been focused on p–n junction heterostructures. As infrared technology continues to advance, there is a growing demand for multispectral detectors for advanced IR systems with better target discrimination and identification. HgCdTe heterojunction detectors offer wavelength flexibility from medium wavelength to very long wavelength and multicolour capability in these regions. Recent progress in two-colour HgCdTe detectors is also reviewed.     

Uncooled infrared photodetectors in Poland

The history and present status of the middle and long wavelength Hg_1-xCd_xTe infrared detectors in Poland are reviewed. Research and development efforts in Poland were concentrated mostly on uncooled market niche. Technology of the infrared photodetectors has been developed by several research groups. The devices are based on mercury-based variable band gap semiconductor alloys. Modified isothermal vapour phase epitaxy (ISOVPE) has been used for many years for research and commercial fabrication of photoconductive, photoelectromagnetic and other devices. Bulk growth and liquid phase epitaxy was also used. At present, the fabrication of IR devices relies on low temperature epitaxial technique, namely metalorganic vapour phase deposition (MOCVD), frequently in combination with the ISOVPE. Photoconductive and photoelectromagnetic detectors are still in production. The devices are gradually replaced with photovoltaic devices which offer inherent advantages of no electric or magnetic bias, no heat load and no flicker noise. Potentially, the PV devices could offer high performance and very fast response. At present, the uncooled long wavelength devices of conventional design suffer from two issues; namely low quantum efficiency and very low junction resistance. It makes them useless for practical applications. The problems have been solved with advanced 3D band gap engineered architecture, multiple cell heterojunction devices connected in series, monolithic integration of the detectors with microoptics and other improvements. Present fabrication program includes devices which are optimized for operation at any wavelength within a wide spectral range 1–15 μm and 200–300 K temperature range. Special solutions have been applied to improve speed of response. Some devices show picoseconds range response time. The devices have found numerous civilian and military applications. The paper presented there appears in Infrared Photoelectronics, edited by Antoni Rogalski, Eustace L. Dereniak, Fiodor F. Sizov, Proc. SPIE Vol. 5957, 59570K (2005).     

QWIP or other alternative for third generation infrared systems

Choosing the right detector technology for third generation thermal imaging systems is directly derived from the requirements of these new generation infrared imaging systems.

It is now evident that third generation thermal imager will still need the higher resolution capabilities as well as capabilities in multispectral detection and polarization sensitivity. Four technologies candidates are analyzed; the field-proved HgCdTe (MCT), uncooled microbolometer technology, antimonide based materials and quantum well infrared photodetectors (QWIP). Taking into account the risks, maturity and technologies barrier of each technology, we claim that for non-strategic applications (not low background conditions), QWIP technology is the most favorite. The ternary and superlattice antimonide based materials group seems to be theoretically the best alternative, but are not recommended due to its immaturity and the high risk involved in this technology (passivation, doping control, etc.). We anticipate large penetration of the uncooled detectors to the low-end and medium-end market. The HgCdTe will still be in progress due to the inertia of the large funding and the strategic importance of this detectors technology.     

The optical responsivity in IR-photodetector based on armchair graphene nanoribbons with p–i–n structure

Armchair graphene nanoribbons (A-GNRs) are an alternative material to use in novel infrared photodetectors, because of their tunable energy gap in the infrared spectrum, and their high quantum efficiency. In this paper, an A-GNR p–i–n structure with all three structural families, different width, and different number of layers to use in IR detectors have been investigated. With calculating the band structure and energy gap using the tight-binding model and by including the edge deformation, the optical absorption in the single electron approximation has been obtained by calculating the optical conductance. Finally, we have calculated the quantum efficiency and the optical responsivity of A-GNR based IR photodetector as a function of incident photon energy, temperature, nanoribbon width and the number of layers. Results show that the responsivity of the A-GNR based IR photodetector increase by increasing the width and number of layers and decrease by increasing the temperature.     

Polycrystalline lead selenide: the resurgence of an old infrared detector

The existing technology for uncooled MWIR photon detectors based on polycrystalline lead salts is stigmatized for being a 50-year-old technology. It has been traditionally relegated to single-element detectors and relatively small linear arrays due to the limitations imposed by its standard manufacture process based on a chemical bath deposition technique (CBD) developed more than 40 years ago. Recently, an innovative method for processing detectors, based on a vapour phase deposition (VPD) technique, has allowed manufacturing the first 2D array of polycrystalline PbSe with good electro optical characteristics. The new method of processing PbSe is an all silicon technology and it is compatible with standard CMOS circuitry. In addition to its affordability, VPD PbSe constitutes a perfect candidate to fill the existing gap in the photonic and uncooled IR imaging detectors sensitive to the MWIR photons. The perspectives opened are numerous and very important, converting the old PbSe detector in a serious alternative to others uncooled technologies in the low cost IR detection market. The number of potential applications is huge, some of them with high commercial impact such as personal IR imagers, enhanced vision systems for automotive applications and other not less important in the security/defence domain such as sensors for active protection systems (APS) or low cost seekers. Despite the fact, unanimously accepted, that uncooled will dominate the majority of the future IR detection applications, today, thermal detectors are the unique plausible alternative. There is plenty of room for photonic uncooled and complementary alternatives are needed. This work allocates polycrystalline PbSe in the current panorama of the uncooled IR detectors, underlining its potentiality in two areas of interest, i.e., very low cost imaging IR detectors and MWIR fast uncooled detectors for security and defence applications. The new method of processing again converts PbSe into an emerging technology.     

Barrier infrared detectors

In 1959, Lawson and co-workers publication triggered development of variable band gap Hg_1?xCd_xTe (HgCdTe) alloys providing an unprecedented degree of freedom in infrared detector design. Over the five decades, this material system has successfully fought off major challenges from different material systems, but despite that it has more competitors today than ever before. It is interesting however, that none of these competitors can compete in terms of fundamental properties. They may promise to be more manufacturable, but never to provide higher performance or, with the exception of thermal detectors, to operate at higher temperatures. In the last two decades a several new concepts of photodetectors to improve their performance have been proposed including trapping detectors, barrier detectors, unipolar barrier photodiodes, and multistage detectors. This paper describes the present status of infrared barrier detectors. It is especially addressed to the group of III-V compounds including type-II superlattice materials, although HgCdTe barrier detectors are also included. It seems to be clear that certain of these solutions have merged as a real competitions of HgCdTe photodetectors.     

太赫兹半导体探测器研究进展

太赫兹（THz）探测器是THz技术应用的关键器件之一．基于半导体的全固态THz量子阱探测器（THzQWIP）具有探测响应速度快、制作工艺成熟、体积小和易集成等优点．文章简要介绍了THz探测器的分类和特点，重点介绍了THzQWIP的工作原理和研究进展．     

Characteristics and developments of quantum-dot infrared photodetectors

Quantum dots infrared photodetectors (QDIPs) theoretically have several advantages compared with quantum wells infrared photodetectors (QWIPs). In this paper, we discuss the theoretical advantages of QDIPs including the normal incidence response, lower dark current, higher responsivity and detectivity, etc. Recent device fabrication and experiment results in this field are also presented. Based on the analysis of existing problems, some approaches that would improve the capability of the device are pointed out.     

基于窄带隙聚合物的高性能可见-近红外光伏探测器

聚合物光伏探测器是一种极具应用前景的新型光电探测器件.研究了基于窄带隙聚合物的高性能可见-近红外光伏探测器,结果表明,所制备的光伏探测器在可见至近红外光谱范围内具有宽的光谱响应(380—960 nm)、出色的响应度(840 nm时达到380 mA/W)和归一化探测度;同时,器件在暗态反偏条件下的能级示意图揭示了器件内平均电场较低是较厚光敏层器件具有低噪声电流的主要原因.电容-电压与时间周期性响应曲线研究表明聚合物光伏探测器具有快速的响应能力和良好的周期重复性.     

HOT infrared photodetectors

At present, uncooled thermal detector focal plane arrays are successfully used in staring thermal imagers. However, the performance of thermal detectors is modest, they suffer from slow response and they are not very useful in applications requiring multispectral detection. Infrared (IR) photon detectors are typically operated at cryogenic temperatures to decrease the noise of the detector arising from various mechanisms associated with the narrow band gap. There are considerable efforts to decrease system cost, size, weight, and power consumption to increase the operating temperature in so-called high-operating-temperature (HOT) detectors. Initial efforts were concentrated on photoconductors and photoelectromagnetic detectors. Next, several ways to achieve HOT detector operation have been elaborated including non-equilibrium detector design with Auger suppression and optical immersion. Recently, a new strategies used to achieve HOT detectors include barrier structures such as nBn, material improvement to lower generation-recombination leakage mechanisms, alternate materials such as superlattices and cascade infrared devices. Another method to reduce detector’s dark current is reducing volume of detector material via a concept of photon trapping detector. In this paper, a number of concepts to improve performance of photon detectors operating at near room temperature are presented. Mostly three types of detector materials are considered — HgCdTe and InAsSb ternary alloys, and type-II InAs/GaSb superlattice. Recently, advanced heterojunction photovoltaic detectors have been developed. Novel HOT detector designs, so called interband cascade infrared detectors, have emerged as competitors of HgCdTe photodetectors.     

A novel equivalent circuit model for waveguide-separated absorption charge multiplication-avalanche photodetector (WG-SACM-APD)

Waveguide photodetectors are promising high-speed photodetectors compared to conventional photodetectors because of solving the problem of bandwidth efficiency tradeoff. The equivalent circuit model of detectors can be utilized to confirm the device performance prior to fabrication. In this paper a novel equivalent circuit model for waveguide-separated absorption charge multiplication avalanche photodetector (WG-SACM-APD) is presented. Using basic circuit components and considering the theory of linear time invariant system frequency domain modeling of this detector including parasitic sources are achieved. Finally the transfer function and detector's bandwidth with respect to the multiplication gain are also investigated and there are good agreements with experimental results.     

Exploring novel methods to achieve sensitivity limits for high operating temperature infrared detectors

A review of high operating temperature (HOT) infrared (IR) photon detector technology vis-a-vis material requirements, device design and state of the art achieved is presented in this article. The HOT photon detector concept offers the promise of operation at temperatures above 120 K to near room temperature. Advantages are reduction in system size, weight, cost and increase in system reliability. A theoretical study of the thermal generation–recombination (g–r) processes such as Auger and defect related Shockley Read Hall (SRH) recombination responsible for increasing dark current in HgCdTe detectors is presented. Results of theoretical analysis are used to evaluate performance of long wavelength (LW) and mid wavelength (MW) IR detectors at high operating temperatures.     

History of infrared detectors

This paper overviews the history of infrared detector materials starting with Herschel??s experiment with thermometer on February 11^th, 1800. Infrared detectors are in general used to detect, image, and measure patterns of the thermal heat radiation which all objects emit. At the beginning, their development was connected with thermal detectors, such as thermocouples and bolometers, which are still used today and which are generally sensitive to all infrared wavelengths and operate at room temperature. The second kind of detectors, called the photon detectors, was mainly developed during the 20^th Century to improve sensitivity and response time. These detectors have been extensively developed since the 1940??s. Lead sulphide (PbS) was the first practical IR detector with sensitivity to infrared wavelengths up to ??3 ??m. After World War II infrared detector technology development was and continues to be primarily driven by military applications. Discovery of variable band gap HgCdTe ternary alloy by Lawson and co-workers in 1959 opened a new area in IR detector technology and has provided an unprecedented degree of freedom in infrared detector design. Many of these advances were transferred to IR astronomy from Departments of Defence research. Later on civilian applications of infrared technology are frequently called ??dual-use technology applications.?? One should point out the growing utilisation of IR technologies in the civilian sphere based on the use of new materials and technologies, as well as the noticeable price decrease in these high cost technologies. In the last four decades different types of detectors are combined with electronic readouts to make detector focal plane arrays (FPAs). Development in FPA technology has revolutionized infrared imaging. Progress in integrated circuit design and fabrication techniques has resulted in continued rapid growth in the size and performance of these solid state arrays.     

Infrared negative luminescent devices and higher operating temperature detectors

Infrared LEDs and negative luminescent devices, where less light is emitted than in equilibrium, have been attracting an increasing amount of interest recently. They have a variety of applications, including as a ‘source’ of IR radiation for gas sensing; radiation shielding for, and non-uniformity correction of, high sensitivity staring infrared detectors; and dynamic infrared scene projection. Similarly, infrared (IR) detectors are used in arrays for thermal imaging and, discretely, in applications such as gas sensing. Multi-layer heterostructure epitaxy enables the growth of both types of device using designs in which the electronic processes can be precisely controlled and techniques such as carrier exclusion and extraction can be implemented. This enables detectors to be made which offer good performance at higher than normal operating temperatures, and efficient negative luminescent devices to be made which simulate a range of effective temperatures whilst operating uncooled. In both cases, however, additional performance benefits can be achieved by integrating optical concentrators around the diodes to reduce the volume of semiconductor material, and so minimise the thermally activated generation-recombination processes which compete with radiative mechanisms. The integrated concentrators are in the form of Winston cones, which can be formed using an iterative dry etch process involving methane/hydrogen and oxygen. We present results on negative luminescence in the mid- and long-IR wavebands, from devices made from indium antimonide and mercury cadmium telluride, where the aim is sizes greater than 1 cm×1 cm. We also discuss progress on, and the potential for, operating temperature and/or sensitivity improvement of detectors, where very high-performance imaging is anticipated from systems which require no mechanical cooling.     

Assessment of HgCdTe photodiodes and quantum well infrared photoconductors for long wavelength focal plane arrays

Recent trends in infrared detectors are towards large, electronically addressed two-dimensional arrays. In the long wavelength infrared (LWIR) spectral range HgCdTe focal plane arrays (FPAs) occupy a dominant position. However, the slow progress in the development of large LWIR photovoltaic HgCdTe infrared imaging arrays and the rapid achievements of novel semiconductor heterostructure systems have made it necessary to foresee the future development of different material technologies in fabrication large FPAs. Among the competing technologies in LWIR are the quantum well infrared photoconductors (QWIPs) based on lattice matched GaAs/AlGaAs and strained layer InGaAs/AlGaAs material systems. This paper compares the technical merits of two IR detector arrays technologies; photovoltaic HgCdTe and QWIPs. It is clearly shown that LWIR QWIP cannot compete with HgCdTe photodiode as the single device especially at higher temperature operation (>70 K) due to fundamental limitations associated with intersubband transitions. However, the advantage of HgCdTe is less distinct in temperature range below 50 K due to problems involved in HgCdTe material (p-type doping, Shockley–Read recombination, trap-assisted tunnelling, surface and interface instabilities). Even though the QWIP is a photoconductor, several of its properties such as high impedance, fast response time, long integration time, and low power consumption, well satisfy the requirements of fabrication of large FPAs. Due to the high material quality at low temperature, QWIP has potential advantages over HgCdTe for very LWIR (VLWIR) FPA applications in terms of the array size, uniformity, yield and cost of the systems.     

Novel differentially strained p-doped quantum well infrared detector

We propose a differentially strained p-doped quantum well infrared (IR) photodetector that achieves high performance specifications. We examine key device and material considerations for such a detector for near 10 μm detection. We calculate that through differential strain, this novel detector has improved gain and substantially reduced dark current over previous quantum well IR photodetectors, while being able to detect normal incident light.     

Development of new CdZnTe detectors for room‐temperature high‐flux radiation measurements

Recently, CdZnTe (CZT) detectors have been widely proposed and developed for room‐temperature X‐ray spectroscopy even at high fluxes, and great efforts have been made on both the device and the crystal growth technologies. In this work, the performance of new travelling‐heater‐method (THM)‐grown CZT detectors, recently developed at IMEM‐CNR Parma, Italy, is presented. Thick planar detectors (3 mm thick) with gold electroless contacts were realised, with a planar cathode covering the detector surface (4.1 mm × 4.1 mm) and a central anode (2 mm × 2 mm) surrounded by a guard‐ring electrode. The detectors, characterized by low leakage currents at room temperature (4.7 nA cm^?2 at 1000 V cm^?1), allow good room‐temperature operation even at high bias voltages (>7000 V cm^?1). At low rates (200 counts s^?1), the detectors exhibit an energy resolution around 4% FWHM at 59.5 keV (²⁴¹Am source) up to 2200 V, by using commercial front‐end electronics (A250F/NF charge‐sensitive preamplifier, Amptek, USA; nominal equivalent noise charge of 100 electrons RMS). At high rates (1 Mcounts s^?1), the detectors, coupled to a custom‐designed digital pulse processing electronics developed at DiFC of University of Palermo (Italy), show low spectroscopic degradations: energy resolution values of 8% and 9.7% FWHM at 59.5 keV (²⁴¹Am source) were measured, with throughputs of 0.4% and 60% at 1 Mcounts s^?1, respectively. An energy resolution of 7.7% FWHM at 122.1 keV (⁵⁷Co source) with a throughput of 50% was obtained at 550 kcounts s^?1 (energy resolution of 3.2% at low rate). These activities are in the framework of an Italian research project on the development of energy‐resolved photon‐counting systems for high‐flux energy‐resolved X‐ray imaging.     

Infrared camera based on a curved retina

Design of miniature and light cameras requires an optical design breakthrough to achieve good optical performance. Solutions inspired by animals' eyes are the most promising. The curvature of the retina offers several advantages, such as uniform intensity and no field curvature, but this feature is not used. The work presented here is a solution to spherically bend monolithic IR detectors. Compared to state-of-the-art methods, a higher fill factor is obtained and the device fabrication process is not modified. We made an IR eye camera with a single lens and a curved IR bolometer. Images captured are well resolved and have good contrast, and the modulation transfer function shows better quality when comparing with planar systems.     

Relaxer ferroelectrics as promising materials for IR detectors

The dielectric and pyroelectric properties of a typical relaxer ferroelectric, 0.9PbMg_1/3Nb_2/3O₃-0.1PbTiO₃ (PMN-PT), are studied experimentally. Based on the results obtained, the pyroelectric constant and figure of merit of the material when used in IR detectors are calculated. These parameters are presented as a function of temperature and external electric field. The current and voltage sensitivities and the detectivity of PMN-PT-based IR detectors are evaluated. They are compared with the same properties of pyroelectric detectors and dielectric bolometers that use traditional pyroelectric materials as the active element and also of other uncooled photodetectors.