Antireflective films optimization of ZnS ceramics infrared windows

The transmittance characteristics of ZnS ceramics with infrared (IR) (3-5 and 8-12μm) antireflective coatings are studied. The film designs are optimized with programmed software. A double-side and double-layer scheme is employed. Two different double-layers with proper pa ameters are coated onto each side of a ZnS substrate. The measurement methods for transmittance are investigated. The measured transmittance for IR (3-5 and 8-12μm) surpasses 70%.     

Molecular beam epitaxy growth of HgCdTe for high performance infrared photon detectors

Significant progresses have been made in the molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) growth of HgCdTe for high performance infrared photon detectors with the aid of in situ and ex situ characterization techniques. Superlattice interfacial layers compensate in part for the influence of non-ideal CdZnTe substrates and hence improved the material quality as well as yield. They result in photoconductive carrier recombination lifetimes approaching theoretical limits set by the intrinsic radiative and Auger recombination mechanisms for 8–14 μm long-wavelength infrared HgCdTe. Very high composition and thickness uniformities have also been achieved. However, the Urbach tail energy, which is associated with structural disorder, was found to be non-uniform for both large wafer (up to 20 × 20 mm²) and very small area (down to 200 × 200 μm²). After several years of improvements in MBE HgCdTe growth techniques, substrates once again have become a bottleneck to further improvements.     

ZnS thin films grown by atomic layer deposition on GaAs and HgCdTe substrates at very low temperature

ZnS films grown on GaAs and HgCdTe substrates by atomic layer deposition (ALD) under very low temperature were investigated in this work. ZnS films were grown under several temperatures lower than 140 °C. The properties of the films were investigated with high-resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results showed the ZnS films were polycrystalline. The growth rate monotonically decreased with temperature, as well as the root mean square (r.m.s) roughness measured by AFM. XPS measurement revealed the films were stoichiometric in Zn and S.     

Microwave properties and surface topography of softmagnetic films with high resistivity

A single layer of CoFeB and a multilayer of CoFeB--MgO films are prepared by means of DC/RF magnetron sputter deposition. The excellent microwave properties and high electrical resistivity are simultaneously achieved in the discontinuous multilayer structure of [Co₄₄Fe₄₄B₁₂(0.7nm)/MgO(0.4nm)]_{40} film. This film has a high permeability ({μ \prime }) (larger than 100 below 2.1GHz), a high magnetic loss (μ') (larger than 100 in a range from 1.5 to 3.3GHz), a resistivity of 3.3× 10^*     

Development of small pixel HgCdTe infrared detectors

After approximately half a century of development, HgCdTe infrared detectors have become the first choice for high performance infrared detectors, which are widely used in various industry sectors, including military tracking, military reconnaissance, infrared guidance, infrared warning, weather forecasting, and resource detection. Further development in infrared applications requires future HgCdTe infrared detectors to exhibit features such as larger focal plane array format and thus higher imaging resolution. An effective approach to develop HgCdTe infrared detectors with a larger array format size is to develop the small pixel technology. In this article, we present a review on the developmental history and current status of small pixel technology for HgCdTe infrared detectors, as well as the main challenges and potential solutions in developing this technology. It is predicted that the pixel size of long-wave HgCdTe infrared detectors can be reduced to5 μm, while that of mid-wave HgCdTe infrared detectors can be reduced to 3 μm. Although significant progress has been made in this area, the development of small pixel technology for HgCdTe infrared detectors still faces significant challenges such as flip-chip bonding, interconnection, and charge processing capacity of readout circuits. Various approaches have been proposed to address these challenges, including three-dimensional stacking integration and readout circuits based on microelectromechanical systems.     

Simulation and design consideration of photoresponse for HgCdTe infrared photodiodes

We report on 2D numerical simulations of photoresponse characteristic for long-wavelength HgCdTe infrared photodiodes. Effects of thickness of absorption layer on the photoresponse have been investigated. Optimal thickness of absorption layers at different absorption lengths and diffusion lengths are extracted numerically. An empirical formula is proposed to predict reasonable optimal thickness of absorption layer by theoretically analyzing its correlations with absorption lengths and diffusion lengths.     

Patterned mist deposition of tri-colour CdSe/ZnS quantum dot films toward RGB LED devices

In this experiment a technique of mist deposition was explored as a way to form patterned ultra-thin-films of CdSe/ZnS core/shell nanocrystalline quantum dots using colloidal solutions. The objective of this study was to investigate the feasibility of mist deposition as a patterning method for creating multicolour quantum dot light emitting diodes. Mist deposition was used to create three rows of quantum dot light emitting diodes on a single device with each row having a separate colour. The colours chosen were red, green and yellow with corresponding peak wavelengths of 620 nm, 558 nm, and 587 nm. The results obtained from this experiment show that it is possible to create multicolour devices on a single substrate. The peak brightnesses obtained in this experiment for the red, green, and yellow were 508 cd/m, 507 cd/m, and 665 cd/m, respectively. The similar LED brightness is important in display technologies using colloidal quantum dots in a precursor solution to ensure one colour does not dominate the emitted spectrum. Results obtained in-terms of brightness were superior to those achieved with inkjet deposition. This study has shown that mist deposition is a viable method for patterned deposition applied to quantum dot light emitting diode display technologies.     

红外用CVD ZnS多晶材料的研制

论述了制备红外用CVD ZnS多晶材料的化学气相沉积工艺和热等静压处理工艺。针对CVD ZnS多晶材料具备优良的光学和力学性能,采用化学气相沉积工艺和热等静压处理技术成功研制出大尺寸多晶材料,其最大尺寸达到250mm×15mm。测试了CVD ZnS样品的各项光学、力学性能指标。样品的全波段透过率均接近ZnS材料的本征水平,折射指数均匀性优于2×10^-5,在1.06μm的吸收系数为2×10^-3cm^-1,抗弯强度达到104MPa。     

Numerical analysis of long wavelength infrared HgCdTe photodiodes

We present a detailed investigation of the performance limiting factors of long and very long wavelength infrared (LWIR and VLWIR) p on n Hg_1−xCd_xTe detectors through numerical simulations at 77 K incorporating all considerable generation-recombination (G-R) mechanisms including trap assisted tunneling (TAT), Shockley-Read-Hall (SRH), Auger and radiative processes. The results identify the relative strengths of the dark current generation mechanisms by numerically extracting the contribution of each G-R mechanism to the detector characteristics with various cut-off wavelengths (λ_c) and practically achievable material parameters.The results show that the dominant sensitivity degrading trap level depends on the detector cut-off wavelength being ∼0.7E_g for LWIR HgCdTe sensors (λ_c = ∼10 μm) instead of 0.5E_g which is generally believed to be the most efficient R-G level. TAT related 1/f noise dominates the sensor noise even under small reverse bias voltages at a trap density as low as 1 × 10¹⁴ cm⁻³ for sensors with λ_c > 11 μm. Considering the fact that trap densities below this level are rarely reported for HgCdTe material, exceptionally trap-free material is required to achieve desirable imaging performance with these sensors. Simulation results show that Auger mechanism has twofold effect on the sensitivity of the sensor by increasing the dark current and decreasing the photo current of the detector.     

Optical characterization of defects in narrow-gap HgCdTe for infrared detector applications

Narrow-gap Hg_(1-x)Cd_x Te material with a composition x of about 0.3 plays an extremely important role in mid-infrared detection applications. In this work, the optical properties of doped HgCdTe with x ≈ 0.3 are reviewed, including the defects and defect levels of intrinsic V_(Hg) and the extrinsic amphoteric arsenic(As) dopants, which can act as shallow/deep donors and acceptors. The influence of the defects on the determination of band-edge electronic structure is discussed when absorption or photoluminescence spectra are considered. The inconsistency between these two optical techniques is demonstrated and analyzed by taking into account the Fermi level position as a function of composition, doping level,conductivity type, and temperature. The defect level and its evolution, especially in As-doped HgCdTe, are presented. Our results provide a systematic understanding of the mechanisms and help for optimizing annealing conditions towards p-type As-activation, and eventually for fabricating high performance mid-infrared detectors.     

Progress in MOCVD growth of HgCdTe heterostructures for uncooled infrared photodetectors

This paper describes the significant progress in the development of metalorganic chemical vapour deposition of Hg_1−xCd_xTe (HgCdTe) multilayer heterostructures on GaAs/CdTe substrates for uncooled infrared photodetectors. The paper focuses on the interdiffused multilayer process (IMP). The optimum conditions for the growth of single layers and complex multilayer heterostructures have been established.

One of the crucial stages of HgCdTe epitaxy is CdTe nucleation on GaAs substrate. Successful composite substrates have been obtained with suitable substrate preparation, liner and susceptor treatment, proper control of background fluxes and appropriate nucleation conditions. Epiready (1 0 0) GaAs wafers with 2–4° disorientation towards 1 0 0 and 1 1 0 have been used. Due to the large mismatch between GaAs and CdTe, both (1 0 0) and (1 1 1) growth may occur. Generally, layers with orientation (1 0 0) show superior morphology compared to (1 1 1), but they are also characterized by hillocks.

The benefits of the precursors, ethyl iodine (EI) and arsine (AsH₃), for controlled iodine donor doping and arsenic acceptor doping at dopant concentrations relevant for HgCdTe junction devices are summarized. In situ anneal seems to be sufficient for iodine doping at any required level. In contrast, efficient As doping with near 100% activation requires ex situ anneal at near saturated mercury vapours.

Finally, the multilayer fully doped heterostructures for photovoltaic devices operated at room temperature have been fabricated. The special attention is focused on the improvement in multijunction LWIR photovoltaic detectors. The performance of photodiodes is also presented.     

HgCdTe红外探测器离子注入剂量优化研究

在中波响应波段的p型Hg_0.709Cd_0.291Te(MCT)分子束外延生长薄膜上，利用材料芯片技术获得叠加注入不同硼离子剂量的系列大光敏元面积(500μm×500μm)的n-op-p结.通过测量液氮温度下不同离子注入剂量单元的电流-电压特性和对零偏微分电阻R₀分析，观测到p-n结的性能与硼离子注入剂量明显的依赖关系.在另一片薄膜材料(镉组分值为0.2743)上通过该方法获得R₀A优于现有常规数值的探测器单元. 关键词： p-n结 离子注入 碲镉汞薄膜     

高电阻率多层纳米颗粒膜软磁特性及微波磁导率

研究了应用于微波频段的多层纳米颗粒膜的电阻率、软磁特性和微波磁导率.采用多次顺序沉积Co₄₀Fe₄₀B₂₀和SiO₂薄层制备了薄膜.在100kA/m均匀面内磁场经过250℃真空退火2h,制备的Co₄₀Fe₄₀B₂₀/SiO₂多层膜具有难轴矫顽力为210A/m、饱和磁化强度为838.75kA/m、电阻率为2.06×10^{3关键词： 纳米颗粒膜 电阻率 软磁特性 微波磁导率}     

Effect of temperature on pulsed laser deposition of HgCdTe films

HgCdTe thin films have been deposited on Si(1 1 1) substrates at different substrate temperatures by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). An Nd:YAG pulsed laser with a wavelength of 1064 nm was used as laser source. The influences of the substrate temperature on the crystalline quality, surface morphology and composition of HgCdTe thin films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The results show that in our experimental conditions, the HgCdTe thin films deposited at 200 °C have the best quality. When the substrate temperature is over 250 °C, the HgCdTe film becomes thermodynamically unstable and the quality of the film is degraded.     

Numerical analysis of two-color HgCdTe infrared photovoltaic heterostructure detector

We report on 2D numerical simulations of spectral photoresponse characteristic for two-color HgCdTe infrared photovoltaic detector. Effects of thickness of absorption layer and doping profiles on the photoresponse, quantum efficiency and crosstalk have been investigated. Optimal thickness of absorption layers and doping profiles are numerically calculated.     

Design and fabrication of multi-layers infrared antireflection coating consisting of ZnS and Ge on ZnS substrate

We have designed, fabricated and characterized a multi-layers antireflection coating on multispectral ZnS substrate, suitable for the infrared range of 8–12 μm. The 4-layers coating (Ge/ZnS/Ge/ZnS) with optimized thicknesses was fabricated by PVD technique and studied by FTIR, nanoindentation and AFM. From FTIR spectroscopy it was found that, in the wavelength range of 8–12 μm, the average transmittance of the double-side coated sample increases by about 26% and its maximum reaches about 98%. To improve the mechanical hardness, a bilayer of Y₂O₃/carbon was deposited on the coating. Nanoindentation test shows that the coating enhances the mechanical properties. The final coating have successfully passed durability and environmental tests.