Fabrication procedures of photovoltaic lead-chalcogenide-on-silicon infrared sensor arrays for thermal imaging

Abstract

Epitaxial Pb1−xSnxSe layers have been grown onto Si(111) substrates with the aid of an intermediate CaF2/BaF2 buffer layer by MBE. Photovoltaic infrared sensor arrays with up to 256 elements for thermal imaging applications have been fabricated in the narrow gap lead chalcogenide layers. The whole growth and fabrication procedure was done at temperatures never exceeding 450°C on Si substrates containing prefabricated integrated circuits with standard Al-metallization for the first time.