Large-Format Voltage-Tunable Dual-Band Quantum-Well Infrared Photodetector Focal Plane Array for Third-Generation Thermal Imagers

Author

Eker, S.U. ; Kaldirim, M. ; Arslan, Y. ; Besikci, C.

Author_Institution

Electr. Eng. Dept., Middle East Tech. Univ., Ankara

Volume

29

Issue

10

fYear

2008

Firstpage

1121

Lastpage

1123

Abstract

We report a large-format (640 times 512) voltage- tunable quantum-well (QW) infrared photodetector focal plane array (FPA) for dual-band imaging in the mid- and long-wavelength infrared (MWIR and LWIR) bands. Voltage-tunable spectral response has been achieved through a series connection of eight-well MWIR AlGaAs-InGaAs and 16-well LWIR AlGaAs-GaAs QW stacks grown by molecular beam epitaxy on GaAs substrate. The peak responsivity wavelength of the detectors is shifted from 4.8 to 8.4 mum as the bias is increased within the limit applicable by commercial read-out integrated circuits. The FPA with MWIR and LWIR cutoff wavelengths of 5.1 and 8.9 mum provides noise equivalent temperature differences of 20 and 32 mK (f/1.5) in these bands, respectively. The results are very encouraging for the development of low-cost large-format dual-band MWIR/LWIR FPA technology.

Keywords

III-V semiconductors; aluminium compounds; focal planes; gallium arsenide; indium compounds; infrared detectors; integrated optoelectronics; molecular beam epitaxial growth; photodetectors; quantum well devices; readout electronics; semiconductor quantum wells; AlGaAs-InGaAs; FPA; LWIR QW stacks; MWIR QW stacks; dual-band imaging; focal plane array; molecular beam epitaxy; noise equivalent temperature difference; read-out integrated circuits; temperature 20 mK; temperature 32 mK; third-generation thermal imager; voltage-tunable dual-band quantum-well infrared photodetector; voltage-tunable spectral response; wavelength 5.1 mum; wavelength 8.9 mum; Dual band; Gallium arsenide; Infrared imaging; Molecular beam epitaxial growth; Optical imaging; Photodetectors; Quantum wells; Substrates; Tunable circuits and devices; Voltage; Dual-band infrared detector; focal plane array (FPA);

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Electron Device Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0741-3106

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/LED.2008.2002538

Filename

4631442