Cathodoluminescence Defect Characterization for Medium Wavelength Infrared (MWIR) and Long-Wave Infrared (LWIR) HgCdTe

Traditional Cathodoluminescence (CL) tools are limited to the Near Infrared (NIR) region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Commercially available NIR CL tools are useful for studying wide bandgap semiconductors like CdTe. However, narrow gap materials such as Mid and Long Wavelength infrared (MWIR and LWIR) HgCdTe have spectral energies outside the limits of traditional CL tools. A design proposal for a CL characterization tool for the study of defects in HgCdTe is outlined. Phase I is to design MWIR and LWIR CL tool that can be mounted on a traditional analytical scanning electron microscope (SEM). The detector cutoff wavelength, spectral response, detectivity and ease of design incorporation into the proposed CL setup will all be used as design criteria to choose the final detector(s). A computer aided design (CAD) based layout and design of the CL setup will be part of the final tool design. The layout will be a compact design to increase the photon collection efficiency and increase the resolution of the CL spectra and imaging capability. The design will also include a layout for the proposed collection and analysis software that will need to be developed for this project.