Radiation Hard Silicon Schottky Barrier LWIR Focal Plane Arrays

Electro-Optek proposes to fabricate ultra radiation hard, high-sensitivity, long wavelength infrared focal plane arrays using IrSi3/Si Schottky Barrier (SB) infrared detectors grown by molecular beam epitaxy on silicon-on-insulator substrates. The SB photodiodes of Iriduim siliconide/Si, are processed by a special codeposition MBE process with readout electronics on SOI substrates forming a monolithic array. The reverse bias of the SB diode will be used to tailor the spectral response in the LWIR (9-14 micron). Our overall goal is to develop the SB array with high density, and optimize it for a 40% quantum efficiency, a 1% non-uniformity and a fabrication cost comparable to that of the existing Pt-silicide SB array covering the LWIR. Since the FPAs are built on SOI substrates, the arrays will be ultra-radiation hard. These novel arrays will find applications in FLIRs, space-based interceptors and early warning and surveillance systems.