Sofradir HgCdTe homojunction IR detector technology has already demonstrated its high maturity level by enabling the delivery of more than 7000 second and third generation IR detectors mainly adapted to LWIR and MWIR waveband applications. The candidates for these detectors are the high performance military applications as well as the space applications, and the commercial application. The new challenge for cooled detectors is the cost-effective production of very large staring arrays. The best approach is the pitch reduction keeping constant the performance, which allow to reduce the production cost and to offer larger formats using the same cryogenics. Sofradir MCT technology is now mature at production level for 20 mu m pitch and even less and has demonstrated its ability to operate at higher temperatures than other competition materials. This reduces the cooling constraints by using smaller and less costly coolers. The new results of 640x512 MWIR arrays with 20 mu m pitch are presented as well as the tradeoffs for larger array formats. QWIPs are also a solution for LWIR detectors offered by Sofradir and Thales Research Technology and this unique technology allows Sofradie to offer large staring arrays with reduced cooling constraints thanks to the high operating temperature achieved keeping constant the performance. Thus QWIP detector performances and production are discussed.
Large staring arrays at Sofradir
2003
11 Seiten, 11 Quellen
Conference paper
English
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