Development of HgCdTe Material Models for Next Generation Infrared Focal Plane Architectures

Developments of multi-color FPA's are important for use in missile defense systems (such as GMD and THAAD) applications. Key to meeting these system requirements is development of multi-color HgCdTe focal plane arrays with high pixel uniformity, reducedreadout noise, improved resolution, and higher temperature of operation, to reduce cost and volume of these sensors and seekers.Magnolia Optical Technologies proposes to develop modeling/simulation tools for improving the multi-layer HgCdTe growth, device design, process improvements and detector fabrication. Magnolia has a strong team complementing its strengths in the HgCdTematerials and Device modeling/technology for multi-color applications. We plan to develop these tools for the multi-color HgCdTe materials and devices and demonstrate the utility of these tools for significant improvements in the integrated monolithicmulti-color IRFPA's. scientific applications where detection of IR radiation plays a key role. Most of these applications for detection and/or measurement require high performance multi-color IR detectors either as linear arrays or as two-dimensional arrays. The market forcommercial IR photo-detectors is expected to grow rapidly over the next 10 years.The characteristics that make multi-color IR photo-detectors suitable for defense applications also benefit many industrial and scientific applications. Several applications in environmental monitoring and control use IR sensors. For example, IR basedsystems can be used for chem-bio detection for homeland security and other large commercial buildings. In addition, IR spectroscopy plays an important role in several medical and scientific applications.Multicolor IR sensors would have many applications in Weather Science, material science, metrology, industrial process monitoring and surveillance.