Recent progress for HGCDTE quantum detection in France

Abstract

Due to its tuneable narrow band gap, HgCdTe (MCT) is a material of choice for high complexity IR focal plane arrays (FPAs). Being a strategic defence technology, MCT detector developments is totally mastered at every stage of fabrication at LETI and Sofradir, from the lattice matched CZT substrate growth, the active layer MCT growth, to PV technology, silicon ROIC design and flip chip hybridization. Within the last few years, MCT devices have considerably evolved in terms of device complexity, performances, and field of action. n/p standard technology has been developed in all spectral ranges, from VLWIR (20μm) down SWIR (1.7μm). MCT photodiode sensibility goes even lower, down to visible and even UV with a constant quantum efficiency. Moreover, MCT material provides us with high and noiseless avalanche gains inside the photodiode itself, which we are now fully able to use for the optimization of FPA performances. Besides, p/n diode structure is a new emerging process which improves detector performances by several orders of magnitude in terms of dark current, by comparison with the n/p historical structure. This technology has been successfully demonstrated from VLWIR (15μm cut off) down to the SWIR range (2μm cut off) where ultra low dark currents are recorded at low temperatures (0.4e/s). In the same time, first dual band FPAs are delivered, which are expected to be the 3rd generation of IR detectors. At last, considerable efforts are made in order to increase the operational temperature, going from 100K to 150K for MWIR FPAs at constant performances, optimizing all technological steps, especially growth issues. Going at even higher operating temperatures (HOTs) is also under active study.