Broadband High Operating Temperature Strained Layer Superlattice Focal Plane Arrays (FPA)

ABSTRACT: In this proposal, SK Infrared LLC (SKI), a spin off from the Krishna Infrared Detector (KIND) laboratory at the University of New Mexico, is teaming up with Raytheon Vision System (RVS) to develop a flat top broadband high operating temperature mid wave infrared and long wave infrared detector based on InAs/GaSb/AlSb Type II superlattice detectors using unipolar barriers to decrease the dark current. At the end of Phase I, a hardware single pixel detector covering the MWIR and LWIR will be delivered to the Air Force to evaluate the performance for the required mission. The Phase II will focus on the demonstration of a liner array using a ROIC developed in collaboration with RVS. SKI and RVS have an established working relationship including three SBIR Phase I and are currently being considered for 2 SBIR Phase II awards. BENEFIT: The superlattices have emerged as a disruptive technology in the past five years. Broadband higher operating temperature detectors provide additional functionality for surveillance, space situational awareness and reconnaissance missions. The partner on this proposal, Raytheon Vision Systems (RVS) has significant experience in technology development for next generation of large format focal plane arrays (IRFPA) to develop the best solution for ballistic missile intercept systems such as SM-3 (IIA and future upgrades). These new IRFPAs are designed to provide improved system capabilities such as enhanced imaging for target discrimination, signature recognition, countermeasure, and clutter rejection. Integrated dual-band IRFPAs offer separate spectral sensitivity to two different IR wavelengths within each pixel. This effort can therefore provide risk reduction to current HgCdTe FPA approaches and be seamlessly inserted into future RVS IR & D demonstration activities. Most importantly, the results of this work can be directly communicated to Government customers including Raytheon Missile Systems (RMS) to facilitate technology insertion possibilities.