Ballistic Missile Innovative Electro-Optic Products

The objective of this project is to demonstrate the feasibility of producing infrared Focal Plane Arrays with extended Very Long Wavelength Infrared (VLWIR)in the 20 to 25 micron range, herby called Ultra Long Wavelength (ULWIR), with high operating temperature (HOT, T>80K). These detectors are based on intersubband transitions in self-assembled nanoscale quantum dots on GaAs substrates. The technology is expected to lower costs though leveraging of existing GaAs semiconductor technology and the large are wafer substrates commercially available which are useful for the production of large focal plane arrays economically. Moreover, an increase in the operating temperature from the current levels of 4-20 K required for other technologies in the ULWIR, to liquid nitrogen temperatures of 77K for the would lead to a reduction in the cost and complexity of the system. This will in turn enable enhancements to MDA's space based detection systems where the targets are cool and with low background irradiance levels