Abstract
This article details current-voltage characteristics for a very long wavelength infrared (VLWIR) Hg1−x CdxTe detector from Raytheon Vision Systems with a cutoff wavelength of 20.0 µm at 28 K. In this article, the VLWIR detector diode currents are modeled as a function of bias and temperature. This in-depth current model includes diffusion, band-to-band tunneling, trap-assisted tunneling (TAT), and shunt currents. The trap density has been extracted from the modeled TAT component of the current and was revealed to be relatively temperature-independent. An attempted incorporation of VLWIR detector susceptibility to stress has also been included through variation of the model parameter associated with the p-n junction electric field strength. This field variation accounts for stress induced piezoelectric fields. The current in this VLWIR detector was found to be diffusion-limited under much of the temperature and bias ranges analyzed. This modeling allows the scrutiny of both the dominant current-limiting mechanism and the magnitudes of the various current components as a function of both bias and temperature, allowing the straightforward determination of the ideal operating conditions for a given detector.
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Gilmore, A.S., Bangs, J. & Gerrish, A. VLWIR HgCdTe detector current-voltage analysis. J. Electron. Mater. 35, 1403–1410 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-006-0275-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-006-0275-x