Large-format MWIR and LWIR detectors at AIM

Abstract

Based on its well established 640×512 pixel, 15 µm pitch detector for a staring application, which is produced at AIM in high quantities at reproducible high yield and with superior performance, AIM has developed an MWIR and LWIR 1280×1024 pixel design with a 15 µm pixel pitch to make use of the advantages of large format detectors for IR systems applications. Benefitting from the continuous advancement of traditional liquid phase epitaxy (LPE) n-on-p technology, excellent electro-optical performance over a wide range of operating temperatures as well as enhanced long-term and thermal cycle stability have been achieved for this new and challenging detector format. In parallel, the performance of MCT material grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), which is currently under development to take advantage of 3rd generation device architecture and the alternative GaAs substrate material, is evaluated for this application. In this paper, we will present the results of electro-optical detector characterizations and IR images of MWIR and LWIR 1280×1024 FPAs fabricated by LPE. We demonstrate the progress in MBE development at AIM and present electro-optical figures of merit, e.g., NETD and the operability of MWIR and LWIR 1280×1024 FPAs with MCT layers grown on GaAs by MBE.