MTF performance: measurements, modelisation and optimization for Sofradir Ⅱ-Ⅵ IR photodetectors

摘要

SOFRADIR is widely present on the IR detector market for high-performance space, military and security applications thanks to a well mastered Mercury Cadmium Telluride (MCT) technology, and to the recent acquisition of the Ⅲ-Ⅴ InSb, InGaAs, and QWIP technologies. As a result, strong and continuous development efforts are deployed to deliver cutting edge products with improved performances in terms of sensitivity, spatial and thermal resolution. The actual trend in quantum IR detector development is the design of very small pixel, with high operating temperature. The self-confinement of neighboring diodes may not be efficient enough to maintain optimal modulation transfert function (MTF). This paper presents the recent developments achieved in Sofradir in terms of MTF measurements protocol challenged by the pitch reduction. An overview of state of the art MTF results with optimized measurement technic will be shown, from SWIR to VLWIR MCT focal plane. In order to optimize device performances and reduce development cycle time, this experimental approach has been coupled with finite elements modelisation (FEM). Optimized MTF results for 10μm pitch and HOT MCT technology will be exposed.