P. Lamarre

AlGaN UV focal plane arrays

This paper presents characterization data, including UV imagery, for 256 x 256 AlGaN UV Focal Plane Arrays (FPAs). The UV-FPAs have 30 x 30 μm 2 unit cells, and use back-illuminated arrays of AlGaN p-i-n photodiodes operating at zero bias voltage. The photodiode arrays were fabricated from multilayer AlGaN films grown by MOCVD on sapphire substrates. Data are also presented for individual AlGaN photodiodes and variable-area diagnostic arrays.

HgCdTe MWIR back-illuminated electron-initiated avalanche photodiode arrays

This paper reports performance data for back-illuminated planar n-on-p HgCdTe electron-initiated avalanche photodiode (e-APD) 4×4 arrays with large-area unit cells (250×250 μm2). The arrays were fabricated from p-type HgCdTe films grown by LPE on CdZnTe substrates. The arrays were bump-mounted to fanout boards and were characterized in the back-illuminated mode. Gain increases exponentially with reverse bias voltage, and gain versus bias curves are quite uniform from element to element. The maximum gain measured is 648 at -11.7 V for a cutoff wavelength of 4.06 μm at 160 K. For the same reverse bias voltage, the gain at 160 K for elements with two different cutoff wavelengths (3.54 and 4.06 μm at 160 K) increases exponentially with increasing cutoff wavelength, in agreement with Becks empirical model for gain versus voltage in HgCdTe e-APDs. Spot scan data show that both the V=0 response and the gain at V=-5.0 V are quite uniform spatially over the large junction area. To the best of our knowledge, these are the first spot scan data for avalanche gain ever reported for HgCdTe e-APDs. Capacitance versus voltage data are consistent with an ideal abrupt junction having a donor concentration equal to the indium counterdoping concentration in the as-grown LPE film. Calculations predict that bandwidths of 500 MHz should be readily achievable in this vertical collection geometry, and that bandwidths as high as 3 GHz may be possible with careful placement of the junction relative to the compositionally interdiffused region between the HgCdTe LPE film and the CdZnTe substrate.

AlGaN p-i-n Photodiode Arrays for Solar-Blind Applications

This paper presents UV imaging results for a 256×256 AlGaN Focal Plane Array that uses a back-illuminated AlGaN heterostructure p-i-n photodiode array, with 30×30 μm 2 unit cells, operating at zero bias voltage, with a narrow-band UV response between 310 and 325 nm. The 256×256 array was fabricated from a multilayer AlGaN film grown by MOCVD on a sapphire substrate. The UV response operability (>0.4×average) was 94.8%, and the UV response uniformity (σ/μ) was 16.8%. Data are also presented for back-illuminated AlGaN p-i-n photodiodes from other films with cutoff wavelengths ranging between 301 and 364 nm. Data for variable-area diagnostic arrays of p-i-n AlGaN photodiodes with a GaN absorber (cutoff=364 nm) show: (1) high external quantum efficiency (50% at V=0 and 62% at V=-9 V); (2) the dark current is proportional to junction area, not perimeter; (3) the forward and reverse currents are uniform (σ/μ=50% for forty 30×30 μm 2 diodes at V=−40 V); (4) the reverse-bias dark current data versus temperature and bias voltage can be fit very well by a hopping conduction model; and (5) capacitance versus voltage data are consistent with nearly full depletion of the unintentionally-doped 0.4 μm thick GaN absorber layer and imply a donor concentration of 3-4×10 16 cm −3 .

High-operability SWIR HgCdTe focal plane arrays

SWIR HgCdTe photodiode test chips and 256x256 Focal Plane arrays with a 2.1 micron cutoff wavelength have been fabricated and tested. The base material was n-type HgCdTe. P-type junctions were created by ion implantation. Test chip arrays with 60-micron pixels exhibited an average RoA of 509 ohm-cm2 and internal quantum efficiency (QE) of 98% at 295 K; RoA and QE were uniform. Average RoA increased to 2.22x104 at 250 K and internal QE remained high at 93%. The mini-array of 30-micron pixels had lower RoA values, 152 and 6.24x103 ohm-cm2 at 295 and 250 K, but 100% internal quantum efficiency at both temperatures. There was no bias dependence of quantum efficiency, demonstrating that our junction formation process does not give rise to valence band barriers. FPA test data have demonstrated NEI operability greater than 98% at 220 K and greater than 97% at 250 K along with QE operability in excess of 99.9% at 220 K and in excess of 99.8% at 250 K.

HgCdTe LWIR p-on-n photodiodes formed by arsenic diffusion from the vapor phase

We report current-voltage data for back-illuminated mesa photodiode test structures fabricated by arsenic-diffusion into n-type LPE HgCdTe films. Arsenic diffusion was carried out in a sealed quartz ampoule containing a source of both Hg and As. The arsenic-diffused p-on-n photodiodes were characterized at 70 K and 80 K. The cutoff wavelength was about 11 μm at 80 K. The data for 400 μm diameter photodiodes fabricated by the arsenic diffusion process are very similar to those from a conventional two-layer LPE P-on-n process for material with approximately the same cutoff wavelength. We outline process and doping level changes that should improve detector performance.