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Temperature dependence of Hg{sub 0.68}Cd{sub 0.32}Te infrared photoconductor performance

Journal Article · · IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/16.398658· OSTI ID:178298
; ; ;  [1]
  1. Univ. of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia (Australia). Dept. of Electrical and Electronic Engineering

An experimental and theoretical study has been carried out of the temperature dependent noise and responsivity performance of n-type x = 0.32 Hg{sub 1{minus}x}Cd{sub x}Te photoconductors. The fundamental noise sources that ultimately limit the specific detectivity, D*{sub {lambda}}, at the three main temperatures of interest are identified and correlated with the experimental material parameters of the device. A device model is presented for the responsivity and noise voltage which takes into account surface effects such as surface recombination and accumulation layer shunting. For a given set of device and material parameters this model is well able to account for the observed experimental values of responsivity and noise voltage over the full temperature range from 80--300 K. Using a theoretical model, it is shown that under ideal conditions it is possible to achieve background limited performance at temperatures up to 210 K. Experimental results are presented for responsivity, noise voltage, semiconductor surface charge density and D*{sub {lambda}} for a frontside-illuminated Hg{sub 1{minus}x} Cd{sub x} Te photoconductive detector, as a function of temperature in the range 80--300 K. The devices were fabricated on Liquid Phase Epitaxially (LPE) grown n-type Hg{sub 0.68}Cd{sub 0.32}Te, and were passivated with anodic oxide/ZnS on the front side.

OSTI ID:
178298
Journal Information:
IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, Journal Name: IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 42; ISSN IETDAI; ISSN 0018-9383
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English