Single color and dual band QWIP production results

Abstract

Since 1997, Sofradir has been working with Thales Research & Technologies (TRT) to develop and implement Quantum Well Infrared Photodetectors (QWIP) as an alternative and complementary offer with Mercury Cadmium Telluride (MCT) Long Wave (LW) detectors, to provide large LW staring arrays. Thanks to the low dark current technology developed by TRT, the QWIP detectors can be worked at FPA temperature above 73K, enabling the development of new compact IR cameras thanks to the use of compact microcoolers, and today, Sofradir is entering production with these highly compact QWIP components.For the Long Wave applications, SOFRADIR offers the European TV/4 format with the VEGA-LW detector (25µm pitch 384×288 IDDCA) and the full TV format with the SIRIUS-LW detector (20µm pitch 640×512 IDDCA). The first one is under production for several hundreds of units, to equip the Catherine-XP thermal imager from Thales. The second one has been initially developed for the Catherine-MP high resolution (SXGA) thermal imager and is ready for production. Both detectors present highly uniform performances and sharp images with NETD in the 50mK range when working around 75K at video frame rate. The TV/4 VEGA detector is also offered as a demonstrator for the Mid Wave applications, with a QWIP array adapted to this waveband. In the same time, a dual band MW-LW similar array is developed with spatial coherence, and is currently under demonstration. The performances of these four QWIP detectors are reviewed in this paper.

Research topics at Thales Research and Technology: Small pixels and third generation applications

“…Their specific advantages (III-V materials, narrow spectral response, easy wavelength adjustment, high thermal stability, high uniformity and yield, no lowfrequency noise) established them as a serious candidate for third generation thermal imagers [1][2][3].…”

Enhanced quantum well infrared photodetector focal plane arrays for space applications

“…Their specific advantages (III-V materials, narrow spectral response, easy wavelength adjustment, high thermal stability, no passivation issues, high uniformity and yield, no low-frequency noise) established them as a serious candidate for third generation focal plane arrays (FPAs) and thermal imagers [1][2][3].…”

Material considerations for third generation infrared photon detectors

“…Both HgCdTe photodiodes [5][6][7][8][9] and quantum well infrared photodetectors (QWIPs) [7,[10][11][12][13] offer the multicolour capability in the MWIR and LWIR range. The performance figures of merit of state-of-the-art QWIP and HgCdTe FPAs are similar because the main limitations come from the readout circuits.…”