Trends in Performance Limits of the HOT Infrared Photodetectors

• Published in: Applied sciences Vol. 11; no. 2; p. 501
• Main Authors: Rogalski, Antoni, Martyniuk, Piotr, Kopytko, Małgorzata, Hu, Weida
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01-01-2021
• Subjects: 2D material photodetectors; BLIP condition; colloidal quantum dot photodetectors; Cryogenic cooling; Focal plane devices; Heterojunctions; HgCdTe; HOT IR detectors; Lifetime; Mercury cadmium tellurides; Molecular beam epitaxy; Noise; Operating temperature; P-i-N; Photoconductors; Photometers; Photons; Photovoltaics; Quantum dots; Room temperature; Sensors; Superlattices; Trends; Two dimensional materials
• ISSN: 2076-3417; 2076-3417
• DOI: 10.3390/app11020501

The cryogenic cooling of infrared (IR) photon detectors optimized for the mid- (MWIR, 3–5 µm) and long wavelength (LWIR, 8–14 µm) range is required to reach high performance. This is a major obstacle for more extensive use of IR technology. Focal plane arrays (FPAs) based on thermal detectors are presently used in staring thermal imagers operating at room temperature. However, their performance is modest; thermal detectors exhibit slow response, and the multispectral detection is difficult to reach. Initial efforts to develop high operating temperature (HOT) photodetectors were focused on HgCdTe photoconductors and photoelectromagnetic detectors. The technological efforts have been lately directed on advanced heterojunction photovoltaic HgCdTe detectors. This paper presents the several approaches to increase the photon-detectors room-temperature performance. Various kinds of materials are considered: HgCdTe, type-II AIIIBV superlattices, two-dimensional materials and colloidal quantum dots.