this paper indicates the state of progress of advanced infrared detection arrays in the world. This presentation is focused on high-performance cooled detectors i.e. CdHgTe photovoltaic arrays (which are more particularly emphasized), InSb detectors, PtSi Schottky barrier diode arrays, extrinsic silicon photoconductors and 111-V multi-quantum well detectors. It is shown that interest may be focused on parameters other than the intrinsic detector performance alone. Future trends concerning the technologies are briefly presented. A more detailed description of the CEA-LETI-Laboratoire Infrarouge (LIR) and SOFRADIR technology is given.

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Epitaxial n-type CdxHg1−xTe layers on (111) CdTe substrates have been grown between 250 and 300 °C by sputtering deposition. The standard growth rate was nominally 2  μm/h for a thickness range from 10 to 30  μm. Typical electron concentration in CdxHg1−xTe layers with Cd composition of 0.34 is around of 2×1016 cm−3 with a Hall mobility of 20 000 cm2 V−1 s−1 at 77 K. Films can be converted to  p type after annealing. We report for the first time the characteristics of backside illuminated 32×32 planar photovoltaic mosaic arrays processed on sputtered layers. Hybrid structures have been fabricated and evaluated; the preliminary results indicate the suitability of these mosaics for hybrid focal plane applications.

Some physical and electrical properties of liquid phase epitaxial (LPE) layers of Hg0,78Cd0.22Te grown on CdZnTe substrates are presented in this paper. In order to qualify these epilayers, 64 x 64 arrays of backside illuminated photovoltaic detectors were successfully manufactured. The high performances obtained on these detectors demonstrate that LPE of HgO,78CdO.22Te remains the most suitable material for such high density arrays.