Metamorphic Buffer Layer Growth for Bulk InAs(x)Sb(1-x) LWIR Detectors

This proposal describes a comprehensive effort to develop the required epitaxial materials technologies to support the development and commercialization of next generation, epitaxially grown, engineered III-V LWIR detectors that achieve performance equivalent to much higher cost II-VI detectors. Our team proposes a unique and innovative approach which utilizes MOCVD growth of metamorphic buffer layers on commercial GaSb substrates to facilitate the fabrication of device quality heterostructures with LWIR spectral response. To support rapid maturation of this technology over the course of this STTR program, our team has a number of state-of-the-art characterization facilities at our disposal including the OSU Center for electron microscopy and analysis (CEMAS), BRCs in-house EOIR lab, and OSUs Nanotech West Laboratory (NTW) for materials growth. By utilizing MOCVD growth, which has been widely embraced by the high efficiency solar and solid state lighting industries for high volume, low cost production of epitaxial films, our team anticipates rapidly scaling and transitioning the technologies developed under this program with considerably lower costs and higher throughput compared to MBE based approaches. In support of that transition, we have established relationships with both a commercial epitaxy vendor and an infrared FPA foundry for collaboration under this program.