Passivation techniques for InAs/GaSb strained layer superlattice detectors

InAs/(In,Ga)Sb Strained Layer Superlattices (SLSs) have made significant progress since they were first proposed as an infrared (IR) sensing material more than three decades ago. The basic material properties of SLS provide a prospective benefit in the realization of IR imagers with suppressed interband tunneling and Auger recombination processes, as well as high quantum efficiency and responsivity. With scaling of single pixel dimensions, the performance of focal plane arrays is strongly dependent on surface effects due to the large pixels’ surface/volume ratio. This article discusses the cause of surface leakage currents and various approaches of their reduction including dielectric passivation, passivation with organic materials (polyimide or various photoresists), passivation by overgrowth of wider bandgap material, and chalcogenide passivation. Performance of SLS detectors passivated by different techniques and operating in various regions of infrared spectrum has been compared.     

InAs/GaSb strained layer superlattice detectors with nBn design

We have investigated the electrical and optical properties of an nBn based Type-II InAs/GaSb strained layer superlattice detector as a function of absorber region background carrier concentration. Temperature-dependent dark current, responsivity and detectivity were measured. At T = 77 K and V_b = 0.1 V, with two orders of magnitude change in doping concentration, the dark current density increased from ～0.3 mA/cm² to ～0.3 A/cm². We attribute this to a depletion region that exists at the AlGaSb barrier and the SLS absorber interface. The device with non-intentionally doped absorption region demonstrated the lowest dark current density (0.3 mA/cm² at 0.1 V) with a specific detectivity D¹ at zero bias equal to 1.2 × 10¹¹ Jones at 77 K. The D¹ value decreased to 6 × 10¹⁰ cm Hz^1/2/W at 150 K. This temperature dependence is significantly different from conventional PIN diodes, in which the D¹ decreases by over two orders of magnitude from 77 K to 150 K, making nBn devices a promising alternative for higher operating temperatures.     

Type II strained layer superlattice: A potential future IR solution

Type II strained layer superlattice (SLS) has been making tremendous progress in the past few years funded by the Missile Defense Agency Advanced Technology Directorate (MDA/DV) under the Passive EO/IR Program. SLS has shown great potential as a future solution for infrared military systems. In this presentation, the most recent progress in SLS development will be presented. The presentation will also discuss the comparison of SLS with mercury–cadmium–telluride (HgCdTe) using Rule 07, SLS minority carrier lifetime issues, and future directions.     

Type-II superlattice detectors for free space optics applications and higher operating temperature conditions

The utmost limit performance of interband cascade detectors optimized for the longwave range of infrared radiation is investigated in this work. Currently, materials from the III–V group are characterized by short carrier lifetimes limited by Shockley-Read-Hall generation and recombination processes. The maximum carrier lifetime values reported at 77 K for the type-II superlattices InAs/GaSb and InAs/InAsSb in a longwave range correspond to ～200 and ～400 ns. We estimated theoretical detectivity of interband cascade detectors assuming above carrier lifetimes and a value of ～1–50 μs reported for a well-known HgCdTe material. It has been shown that for room temperature the limit value of detctivity is of ～3–4×10¹⁰ cmHz^1/2/W for the optimized detector operating at the wavelength range ～10 μm could be reached.     

MBE grown type-II MWIR and LWIR superlattice photodiodes

We report on the status of GaSb/InAs type-II superlattice diodes grown and fabricated at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory designed for infrared absorption 2–5 μm and 8–12 μm bands. Recent LWIR devices have produced detectivities as high as 8 × 10¹⁰ Jones with a differential resistance–area product greater than 6 Ohm cm² at 80 K with a long wavelength cutoff of approximately 12 μm. The measured internal quantum efficiency of these front-side illuminated devices is close to 30% in the 10–11 μm range. MWIR devices have produced detectivities as high as 8 × 10¹³ Jones with a differential resistance–area product greater than 3 × 10⁷ Ohm cm² at 80 K with a long wavelength cutoff of approximately 3.7 μm. The measured internal quantum efficiency of these front-side illuminated MWIR devices is close to 40% in the 2–3 μm range at low temperature and increases to over 60% near room temperature.     

准周期激励与应变超晶格的动力学稳定性

假设超晶格锯齿形沟道对粒子的作用等效为形状相似的周期场作用. 在经典力学框架内,引入正弦平方势,把粒子运动方程化为具有阻尼项和双频激励项的摆方程. 用Melnikov方法对单频激励系统的分叉与混沌进行分析;用Lyapunov方法对双频激励系统的稳定性进行讨论. 结果表明：在弱非线性情况下,双频激励系统存在局域不稳定,且这种不稳定将向全局扩展,直至混沌的出现;导致混沌的双频激励强度远小于单频激励强度;外加一个适当的超声场可望将这种敏感钝化,使系统的稳定性得到改善. 关键词： 超晶格 准周期激励 混沌 稳定性     

Type-II superlattice dual-band LWIR imager with M-barrier and Fabry-Perot resonance

We report a high performance long-wavelength IR dual-band imager based on type-II superlattices with 100% cutoff wavelengths at 9.5 μm (blue channel) and 13 μm (red channel). Test pixels reveal background-limited behavior with specific detectivities as high as ~5×1011 Jones at 7.9 μm in the blue channel and ~1×1011 Jones at 10.2 μm in the red channel at 77 K. These performances were attributed to low dark currents thanks to the M-barrier and Fabry-Perot enhanced quantum efficiencies despite using thin 2 μm absorbing regions. In the imager, the high signal-to-noise ratio contributed to median noise equivalent temperature differences of ~20 milli-Kelvin for both channels with integration times on the order of 0.5 ms, making it suitable for high speed applications.     

Modeling and simulation of long-wave infrared InAs/GaSb strained layer superlattice photodiodes with different passivants

Current–voltage characteristics of long-wave infrared (LWIR) InAs/GaSb strained layer superlattice photodiodes (cut-off wavelength ∼10 μm), passivated with different surface passivants, have been modeled and simulated using ATLAS software from SILVACO. The simulated results are fitted to previous experimental results obtained on unpassivated devices and those passivated by silicon-dioxide (SiO₂), silicon nitride (Si_xN_y) and zinc sulfide (ZnS). Surface parameters in terms of surface recombination velocity, shunt resistance and interface trap density are extracted for different passivants. The performance of silicon-dioxide passivated diode is solely dominated by a shunt leakage path with a shunt resistance value of 0.56 Ω-cm². Extracted electron and hole surface recombination velocities have values of 10⁵ cm/s and 10⁷ cm/s for unpassivated, 10³ cm/s and 10⁵ cm/s for Si_xN_y passivated and 10² cm/s and 10³ cm/s for ZnS passivated devices. Interface trap density follows a similar trend with values of 10¹⁵ cm⁻², 8.5 × 10¹⁴ cm⁻² and 10¹⁰ cm⁻² for unpassivated, Si_xN_y passivated and ZnS passivated devices respectively. The suitability and limitations of the simulation tool are discussed.     

Detector and readout performance goals for quantum well and strained layer superlattice focal plane arrays imaging under tactical and strategic backgrounds

Advancements in III–V semiconductor based, Quantum-well infrared photodetector (QWIP) and Type-II Strained-Layer Superlattice detector (T2SLS) technologies have yielded highly uniform, large-format long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) QWIP FPAs and high quantum efficiency (QE), small format, LWIR T2SLS FPAs. In this article, we have analyzed the QWIP and T2SLS detector level performance requirements and readout integrated circuit (ROIC) noise levels for several staring array long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) imaging applications at various background levels. As a result of lower absorption QE and less than unity photoconductive gain, QWIP FPAs are appropriate for high background tactical applications. However, if the application restricts the integration time, QWIP FPA performance may be limited by the read noise of the ROIC. Rapid progress in T2SLS detector material has already demonstrated LWIR detectors with sufficient performance for tactical applications and potential for strategic applications. However, significant research is needed to suppress surface leakage currents in order to reproduce performances at pixel levels of T2SLS FPAs.     

Interband emission energy in a dilute nitride quaternary semiconductor quantum dot for longer wavelength applications

Excitonic properties are studied in a strained Ga_1−xIn_xN_yAs_1−y/GaAs cylindrical quantum dot. The optimum condition for the desired band alignment for emitting wavelength 1.55 µm is investigated using band anticrossing model and the model solid theory. The band gap and the band discontinuities of a Ga_1−xIn_xN_yAs_1−y/GaAs quantum dot on GaAs are computed with the geometrical confinement effect. The binding energy of the exciton, the oscillator strength and its radiative life time for the optimum condition are found taking into account the spatial confinement effect. The effects of geometrical confinement and the nitrogen incorporation on the interband emission energy are brought out. The result shows that the desired band alignment for emitting wavelength 1.55 µm is achieved for the inclusion of alloy contents, y=0.0554% and x=0.339% in Ga_1−xIn_xN_yAs_1−y/GaAs quantum dot. And the incorporation of nitrogen and indium shows the red-shift and the geometrical confinement shows the blue-shift. And it can be applied for fibre optical communication networks.     

Band engineered HOT midwave infrared detectors based on type-II InAs/GaSb strained layer superlattices

We report on heterostructure bandgap engineered midwave infrared photodetectors based on type-II InAs/GaSb strained layer superlattices with high operating temperatures. Bandgap and bandoffset tunability of antimonide based systems have been used to realize photodiodes and photoconductors. A unipolar barrier photodiode, pBiBn, and an interband cascade photovoltaic detector have been demonstrated with a 100% cutoff wavelength of 5 μm at 77 K. The pBiBn detector demonstrated operation up to room temperature and the cascade detector up to 420 K. A dark current density of 1.6 × 10⁻⁷ A/cm² and 3.6 × 10⁻⁷ A/cm⁻² was measured for the pBiBn and interband cascade detector, respectively, at 80 K. A responsivity of 1.3 A/W and 0.17 A/W was observed at −30 mV and −5 mV of applied bias for pBiBn and cascade detector, respectively, at 77 K. The experimental results have been explained by correlating them with the operation of the devices.     

Manufacturability of type-II InAs/GaSb superlattice detectors for infrared imaging

Type-II InAs/GaSb superlattice detectors and focal plane arrays (FPAs) with cut-off wavelength at 5.1 μm have been studied. For single pixel devices, dark current densities of 1 × 10⁻⁶ A/cm² and quantum efficiencies of 53% were measured at 120 K. From statistics of manufactured FPAs, an average FPA operability of 99.87% was observed. Furthermore, average temporal and spatial noise equivalent temperature difference (NETD) values of 12 mK and 4 mK, respectively, were deduced. Excellent stability of FPAs after non-uniformity correction was observed with no deterioration of the ratio between spatial and temporal noise during a two hour long measurement. Also after several cooldowns the ratio between spatial and temporal NETD stayed below 0.6.     

High-density-plasma (HDP)-CVD oxide to thermal oxide wafer bonding for strained silicon layer transfer applications

Direct wafer bonding between high-density-plasma chemical vapour deposited (HDP-CVD) oxide and thermal oxide (TO) has been investigated. HDP-CVD oxides, about 230 nm in thickness, were deposited on Si(0 0 1) control wafers and the wafers of interest that contain a thin strained silicon (sSi) layer on a so-called virtual substrate that is composed of relaxed SiGe (∼4 μm thick) on Si(0 0 1) wafers. The surfaces of the as-deposited HDP-CVD oxides on the Si control wafers were smooth with a root-mean-square (RMS) roughness of <1 nm, which is sufficiently smooth for direct wafer bonding. The surfaces of the sSi/SiGe/Si(0 0 1) substrates show an RMS roughness of >2 nm. After HDP-CVD oxide deposition on the sSi/SiGe/Si substrates, the RMS roughness of the oxide surfaces was also found to be the same, i.e., >2 nm. To use these wafers for direct bonding the RMS roughness had to be reduced below 1 nm, which was carried out using a chemo-mechanical polishing (CMP) step. After bonding the HDP-CVD oxides to thermally oxidized handle wafers, the bonded interfaces were mostly bubble- and void-free for the silicon control and the sSi/SiGe/Si(0 0 1) wafers. The bonded wafer pairs were then annealed at higher temperatures up to 800 °C and the bonded interfaces were still found to be almost bubble- and void-free. Thus, HDP-CVD oxide is quite suitable for direct wafer bonding and layer transfer of ultrathin sSi layers on oxidized Si wafers for the fabrication of novel sSOI substrates.     

Multispectral and polarimetric imaging in the LWIR: Intersubband detectors as a versatile solution

GaAs-based intersubband infrared detectors, such as Quantum Well Infrared Photodetectors and Quantum Cascade Detectors have proven their ability to address not only conventional thermal imaging applications, but also advanced functionalities such as multispectral and polarimetric imaging. This paper illustrates this potential through the results achieved at III–V Lab in the frame of several ambitious projects, ranging from military applications to Earth observation and exo-planet detection. The advantages of these technologies at the system level are evidenced.     

带电粒子同超晶格的相互作用与系统的混沌行为

把超晶格“折沟道”对粒子的作用等效为形状相似的弱周期调制. 利用正弦平方势把粒子运动方程化为具有外周期弱调制的非线性微分方程，并利用Melnikov 方法分析了系统出现Smale 马蹄的临界条件. 预言了带电粒子同超晶格相互作用过程中, 系统可能出现的混沌行为, 为半导体超晶格材料的制备和半导体超晶格光磁电效应的研究提供了基本的理论分析. 关键词： 超晶格 非线性 微分方程 混沌     

Status and applications of cryogenic detectors

An overview of the actual technical status and achievements of different types of cryogenic detectors is given. Typical applications in several fields are discussed with emphasis put on appropriate nuclear experiments for the planned Princeton facility. The possibility of implementation in low temperature nuclear orientation experiments will be explored.     

Recent results on superlattice transport and optoelectronics applications

Recent results involving miniband transport in superlattices at millimetre (mm) wave frequencies are reviewed. The miniband negative differential conductance up to very high frequencies allows for a new kind of device, the superlattice photo-oscillator. A practical application for optical to mm-wave conversion is demonstrated. An analysis of the intrinsic limitations in the transport processes led to recent progress in the understanding of superlattices physics involving Zener inter-miniband tunneling.