Complementary MWIR/UV Detector Focal Plane for Enhanced Target Discrimination

This proposal addresses a significant need for enhanced target discrimination by using dual wavelength focal plane for simultaneous midwave infrared (MWIR) and ultraviolet (UV) sensing. As countermeasures become more sophisticated IR imaging alone is no longer always sufficient. A dual color sensor may take advantage of the target signatures generated in both the UV and IR wavelengths. We propose using the combination of InAs/Sb and AlGaN compound semiconductors for the MWIR and UV sensing, respectively. InAs and InSb are well established infrared detectors and have been used extensively in theImal imaging applications. Due to the bowing in the InAsSb bandgap its sensitivity can also be extended to 12 .micro.m range. The AlGaN works as a solar blind UV detector and therefore has the additional advantage of insensivity to visible backgrounds. This complementary dual color detector array will therefore enhance target discrimination and significantly reduce false alarm. The integrated dual color detector structure will be fabricated using molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). During Phase I several approaches will be investigated to material engineer a suitable technique for a monolithically integrated MWIR/UV detectors. Dual IR/UV sensor will enhance target discrimination and thus will be useful in applications such as fire fighting and environrnental monitoring.