Material growth, device design, and applications for uncooled LWIR HgCdTe detectors

The present generation of uncooled infrared photon detectors relies on complex heterostructures grown by low temperature epitaxial techniques. We report recent results on MOCVD grown Hg1-xCdxTe photodetectors and their applications. Special modifications to the interdiffused multilayer process (IMP) has been applied for the in-situ control of stoichiometry, improved morphology and minimized consumption of precursors. As a result we are able to grow fully-doped multiple layer heterostructures without any post-growth thermal anneal. The heterostructures have been used for fabrication of IR photodetectors optimized for any wavelength within the 1 to 15 μm range and operating at temperatures 200-300 K. Variable bandgap absorbers have been used for detectors with tuned spectral response and multicolor devices. The uncooled photodetectors have been applied in sub-ppb gas analyzers, laser warning devices, free space optical communications, Fourier Transform IR Spectroscopy, and many other IR systems.

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