Short wave infrared InGaAs focal plane arrays detector: the performance optimization of photosensitive element

Significant progress has been achieved in technology of the InGaAs focal plane arrays (FPA) detector operating in short wave infrared (SWIR) last two decades. The no cryogenic cooling, low manufacturing cost, low power, high sensitivity and maneuverability features inherent of InGaAs FPA make it as a mainstream SWIR FPA in a variety of critical military, national security, aerospace, telecommunications and industrial applications. These various types of passive image sensing or active illumination image detecting systems included range-gated imaging, 3-Dimensional Ladar, covert surveillance, pulsed laser beam profiling, machine vision, semiconductor inspection, free space optical communications beam tracker, hyperspectroscopy imaging and many others. In this paper the status and perspectives of hybrid InGaAs FPA which is composed of detector array (PDA) and CMOS readout integrate circuit (ROIC) are reviewed briefly. For various low light levels applications such as starlight or night sky illumination, we have made use of the interface circuit of capacitive feedback transimpedance amplifier (CTIA) in which the integration capacitor was adjustable, therefore implements of the physical and electrical characteristics matches between detector arrays and readout intergrate circuit was achieved excellently. Taking into account the influences of InGaAs detector arrays' optoelectronic characteristics on performance of the FPA, we discussed the key parameters of the photodiode in detailed, and the tradeoff between the responsivity, dark current, impedance at zero bias and junction capacitance of photosensitive element has been made to root out the impact factors. As a result of the educed approach of the photodiode's characteristics optimizing which involve with InGaAs PDA design and process, a high performance InGaAs FPA of 30um pixel pitch and 320×256 format has been developed of which the response spectrum range over 0.9um to 1.7um, the mean peak detectivity (λ=1.55μm) was 6×1012 cmHz1/2W-1 and dynamics range reached 68 dB at room temperature. Making use of the fabricated 320×256 InGaAs FPA, the concerning objects can be imaged in the low light level or nightglow background.