Arvind DSouza, (DRS Sensors & Targeting Systems), M.G. Stapelbroek (DRS Sensors & Targeting Systems), E. Atkins (DRS Sensors & Targeting Systems), H. Hogue (DRS Sensors & Targeting Systems), J. Reekstin (DRS Sensors & Targeting Systems), H-D Shih (DRS Infrared Technologies), M. Skokan (DRS Infrared Technologies), M. Kinch (DRS Infrared Technologies), J. Robinson (DRS Infrared Technologies)
https://doi.org/10.64861/KQRB5955
Keywords: Telescopes, Instrumentation
Abstract:
Photon detectors and focal plane arrays (FPAs) are fabricated at DRS from HgCdTe and silicon in many varieties. Remote sensing applications, however, may need to operate under both high and low background conditions. HgCdTe HDVIP FPAs have been measured under a variety of flux conditions and at several operating temperatures. In addition, DRS manufactures silicon detectors and FPAs that cover the spectral range from visible to the very long-wavelength infrared (VLWIR). Large-format, VLWIR FPAs based on doped-silicon Blocked-Impurity-Band (BIB) detectors have been developed. FPAs with Si:As BIB arrays have been made in a variety of pixel formats (up to 10242) and have been optimized for low, moderate, and high infrared backgrounds.
DRS uses LPE-grown SWIR, MWIR and LWIR HgCdTe material to fabricate High-Density Vertically Integrated Photodiode (HDVIP) architecture detectors. 2.5 ?m, 5.3 ?m and 10.5 ?m cutoff detectors have been fabricated into linear arrays as technology demonstrations targeting remote sensing programs. This paper presents 320 x 6 array configuration technology demonstrations performance of HDVIP HgCdTe detectors. Within the arrays, the detector size is 40 ?m x 50 ?m. The MWIR detector array has a mean quantum efficiency of 89.2 % with a standard deviation to mean ratio, ?/? = 1.51 %. The integration time for the focal plane array (FPA) measurements is 1.76 ms with a frame rate of 557.7 Hz. NEI ?/? = 3.0 % was measured with 100 % operability when running the array in the best detector select mode.
Arsenic-doped silicon (Si:As) BIB detector arrays with photon response out to about 28 ?m, and Antimony-doped silicon (Si:Sb) BIB arrays having response to wavelengths > 40 ?m have been demonstrated. Large-format (1024 x 1024) VLWIR FPAs based on doped-silicon BIB detectors has been developed and are in fabrication. These FPAs comprise an array of BIB detectors interfaced via indium column interconnects to a matching read-out integrated circuit (ROIC). 256 x256 Arsenic-doped silicon (Si:As) BIB detector arrays with photon response out to about 28 ?m have been measured with a 99.995 % operability and a response standard deviation to mean ratio of 1.58 %. FPAs with Si:As BIB arrays have been made in a variety of pixel formats (to 10242) have been optimized for low, moderate, and high infrared backgrounds.
DRS has developed techniques that allow precision photolithographic backside processing on thinned silicon detector wafers . This capability has been used to monolithically fabricate novel, high performance optical elements such as wire grid polarizers and diffractive lenslets on Si:As BIB arrays. This technique has been used to manufacture and demonstrate advanced sensors including real-time polarimetric imaging arrays capable of fully characterizing the linear polarization state of scene elements. The capability has been used extensively for targeting and image enhancement with LWIR sensors. Non-monolithic prototypes for the visible and LWIR wavebands have been assembled using commercial CCD imaging chips and LWIR HgCdTe arrays. Performance of these visible polarimetric imaging devices has been constrained by several factors including their non-monolithic construction. DRS can apply the process techniques already demonstrated with LWIR FPAs to Si p-i-n arrays being developed and enable high performance visible wavelength polarimetric staring arrays suitable for potential SSA needs.
Date of Conference: September 10-14, 2006
Track: Telescopes and Instrumentation