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Connecting Theory and Practice in Optoelectronics

Challenges in multiphysics modeling of dual-band HgCdTe infrared detectors

Multispectral capability across infrared (IR) bands is a central requirement for third generation, large format IR focal plane array (FPA) detectors. The outstanding properties of HgCdTe allow to fabricate large format, dual-band or two-color IR FPA detectors. In one the of simplest schemes, each pixel includes two stacked p-n absorbers, i.e., two back-to-back p-n photodiodes with different cut-off wavelengths, separated by a thin, wide bandgap layer acting as barrier, and a single bias contact [1-3]. Employing combined electrical (drift-diffusion) and electromagnetic (full-wave, Finite Difference Time Domain) simulations, we investigated a dual-band MWIR-LWIR detector operating at T = 230K, considering a 5 x 5 miniarray of pixels illuminated by a narrow Gaussian beam focused on its central pixel , obtaining useful indications about the optimal bias point and the effects of pixel geometry on the spectral quantum efficiency and inter-pixel crosstalk [4].

(a) The simulated dual-band 5 × 5 MWIR-LWIR miniarray, with the central pixel (CP) and the nearest neighboring pixels (NNs). (b) Simulated spectral QE for Gaussian beam illumination on the CP, and (c) inter-pixel crosstalk.

Further details will be given during the NUSOD-20 Conference.

  1. M. A. Kinch, “Fundamental physics of infrared detector materials,” J. Electron. Mater., vol. 29, no. 6, pp. 809–817, 2000.
  2. P. Martyniuk, et al., “New concepts in infrared photodetector designs,” Appl. Phys. Rev., vol. 1, p. 041102, 2014.
  3. D. Eich, et al., “MCT-based high performance bispectral detectors by AIM,” J. Electron. Mater., vol. 48, no. 10, pp. 6074–6083, 2019.
  4. M. Vallone, et al., “Diffusive-probabilistic model for inter-pixel crosstalk in HgCdTe focal plane arrays,” IEEE J. Electron Devices Soc., vol. 6, no. 1, pp. 664–673, 2018.

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