CEA-LETI, MINATEC, Grenoble, France, CEA-IRFU, Orme des Merisiers, Gif-sur-Yvette, France, Sofradir, ZI BP21, Veurey-Voroize, France

This paper presents recent developments at Commissariat à l’Energie atomique, Laboratoire d’Electronique et de Technologie de l’Information infrared laboratory on processing and characterization of p-on-n HgCdTe (MCT) planar infrared focal plane arrays (FPAs) in short-wave infrared (SWIR) spectral band for the astrophysics applications. These FPAs have been grown using both liquid phase epitaxy and molecular beam epitaxy on a lattice-matched CdZnTe substrate. This technology exhibits lower dark current and lower series resistance in comparison with n-on-p vacancy-doped architecture and is well adapted for low flux detection or high operating temperature. This architecture has been evaluated for space applications in long-wave infrared and very-long-wave infrared spectral bands with cut-off wavelengths from 10 ?m up to 17 ?m at 78 K and is now evaluated for the SWIR range. The metallurgical nature of the absorbing layer is also examined and both molecular beam epitaxy and liquid phase epitaxy have been investigated. Electro-optical characterizations have been performed on individual photodiodes from test arrays, whereas dark current investigation has been performed with a fully functional readout integrated circuit dedicated to low flux operations. © 2016, The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society.

HgCdTe, IR detector, low dark current, low flux applications, short-wavelength IR

Astrophysics, Dark currents, Electric resistance, Epitaxial growth, Focal plane arrays, Infrared detectors, Infrared devices, Molecular beam epitaxy, Molecular beams, Space applications, Electro-optical characterizations, HgCdTe, High operating temperature, Infrared focal plane arrays, Low flux, Readout integrated circuits, Short wavelengths, Very-long-wave infrared, Infrared radiation