The vertical photoconductor: A novel device structure suitable for HgCdTe two-dimensional infrared focal plane arrays

Abstract

A novel photoconductive device structure is proposed and described that has been designed specifically as a sensing element for high density two-dimensional infrared focal plane array (IRFPA) applications. Although the design concept can be applied to a variety of epitaxially grown HgCdTe material, optimum performance can be achieved using n-type HgCdTe semiconductor material consisting of epitaxially grown heterostructure layers in which a two-dimensional mosaic of vertical design photoconductors are fabricated. The heterostructure layers provide high performance devices at greatly reduced power dissipation levels, while the vertical design allows for the high density integration of photoconductors in a two-dimensional array geometry with high fill factor. The salient feature of the proposed device structure is that the bias field is applied in the vertical direction such that it is parallel to the impinging infrared radiation. A comprehensive one-dimensional model is presented for the vertical design photoconductor, which is subsequently used to determine the optimum design parameters in order to achieve maximum responsivity at the lowest possible power dissipation level. It is found that the proposed device structure has the potential to be used in the fabrication of long wavelength IRFPAs approaching 10 6 pixels using 25 × 25 μm 2 detector elements. Furthermore, this is achieved with individual device detectivities that are background limited and for a total array power dissipation of less than 0.1 W using a pulsed biasing scheme. Performance issues such as response uniformity, pixel yield, fill factor, crosstalk, power dissipation, detector impedance, array architecture, and maximum array size are discussed in relation to the suitability of the proposed vertical photoconductor structure for use in IRFPA modules. When considering IRFPA operability, it is found that in many cases the proposed technology has the potential to deliver significant advantages, such as higher yield, higher fill factor, better uniformity, less crosstalk, and larger potential array size, when compared to photovoltaic technology.