Monolithically Integrated HgCdTe Staring Infrared Focal Plane Array (IRFPA)

The long term objectives of this program are to 1) develop a technology for producing a megapixel staring LWIR IRFPA with optical detection and charge readout monolithically integrated on a common silicon wafer, and 2) demonstrate this technology by fabricating and delivering a prototype of this array. In Phase I we will: 1) choose the best monolithic approach that allows the growth of high quality LWIR HgCdTe and avoids degradation of the readout, 2) Provide a preliminary readout design for an LWIR HgCdTe p-on-n 1280 x 960 monolithic array which has a 25um x 25um or smaller pitch, high optical fill factor, and can accommodate a high background charge, 3) Grow HgCdTe heterostructures on silicon and test the resulting p on n detectors, and 4) develop the processing steps for fabricating the selected monolithic IRFPA and assign the risk to each of those processing steps. Metal refractory in place of aluminum will be considered as an intermediate metallization for the readouts until the higher post silicon processing temperatures required for buffer layer growth for the HgCdTe can be reduced. Both (100) and (211) silicon are considered for HgCdTe growth. BENEFITS: Commercial applications include search and rescue, fire detection, surveillance systems for drug and traffic and border control, vision enhancement, and satellites used for weather forecasting and environmental, global warming and crop management studies. Defense applications include advanced land combat, etc.