Dark current and noise mechanisms in nBn HgCdTe infrared detectors

新型碲化汞镉(HgCdTe)NbN(两个n型半导体夹在阻挡层中)红外探测器理论上能够在比传统红外探测器更高的温度下工作。他们减少的冷却要求导致红外成像系统的尺寸、重量和功率的减少，而不会降低红外探测性能。不幸的是，目前HgCdTe NBN探测器受到非理想暗电流和噪声水平的影响，其物理起源和性质尚不清楚。拟议的实验和理论研究和优化有望将这种非理想性降至最低，从而使HgCdTe NBN红外探测器能够为安全和救援应用领域的便携式红外探测系统带来革命性的变化。

Novel mercury cadmium telluride (HgCdTe) nBn (two n-type semiconductors sandwiching a barrier layer) infrared (IR) detectors are theoretically capable of operating at higher temperatures than conventional IR detectors. Their reduced cooling requirements lead to reductions in the size, weight and power of IR imaging systems without loss in IR detection performance. Unfortunately, HgCdTe nBn detectors are currently affected by non-ideal dark current and noise levels whose physical origins and nature are poorly understood. The proposed experimental and theoretical investigations and optimisations are anticipated to minimise such non-idealities and thus enable the demonstration of HgCdTe nBn IR detectors capable of revolutionising portable IR detection systems for security and rescue applications.