Antimonide-based high operating temperature infrared photodetectors and focal plane arrays: a review and outlook

Abstract

Reduction in the size, weight, and power (SWaP) consumption of an infrared (IR) detection system is one of the critical challenges lying ahead for the development of IR detector technology, especially for mid-/long-wavelength IR wave bands, which calls for high operating temperature (HOT) IR photodetectors (PDs) with good sensitivity that would ease the burden for cooling systems. Emerging as strong competitors to HgCdTe detectors, antimonide (Sb)-based IR PDs and focal plane array (FPA) imagers have gradually stepped into real-world applications after decades of development thanks to their outstanding material properties, tunability of cutoff wavelengths, feasibility of device designs, and great potential for mass production with low costs. Meanwhile, the emerging demands of versatile applications seek fast, compact, and smart IR detection systems, in which the integration of Sb-based IR PDs on a Si platform enables direct information readout and processing with Si-based microelectronics. This paper reviews recent progress in Sb-based HOT IR PDs and FPAs, including the fundamental material properties and device designs based on bulk InAsSb, InAs/GaSb, and InAs/InAsSb type-II superlattices, together with the cutting-edge performance achieved. This work also covers new trends of development in Sb-based IR PDs, such as optical engineering for signal harvesting, photonic integration techniques, as well as metal organic chemical vapor deposition growth of antimonides. Finally, challenges and possible solutions for future studies are provided from the perspectives of material growth, device design, and imaging systems. New advances in response to these existing challenges may cast light on designs and strategies for achieving HOT devices at thermoelectric cooling temperatures (yet with lower costs), and more extensive emerging applications may be found.