Large-format 0.85- to 2.5-um HgCdTe detector arrays for low-background applications

Peter J. Love; Alan W. Hoffman; David J. Gulbransen; Mark P. Murray; Ken J. Ando; Neil J. Therrien; Joseph P. Rosbeck; Roger S. Holcombe

doi:10.1117/12.506258

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12 January 2004 Large-format 0.85- and 2.5-μm HgCdTe detector arrays for low-background applications

Peter J. Love, Alan W. Hoffman, David J. Gulbransen, Mark P. Murray, Ken J. Ando, Neil J. Therrien, Joseph P. Rosbeck, Roger S. Holcombe

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Proceedings Volume 5167, Focal Plane Arrays for Space Telescopes; (2004) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.506258
Event: Optical Science and Technology, SPIE's 48th Annual Meeting, 2003, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

The demand for large-format NIR arrays has grown for both ground-based and space-based applications. These arrays are required for maintaining high resolution over very large fields of view for survey work. We describe results of the development of a new 2048 x 2048 HgCdTe/CdZnTe array with 20-micron pixels that responds with high quantum efficiency over the wavelength range 0.85 to 2.5 microns. With a single-layer anti-reflection (AR) coating, the responsive quantum efficiency is expected to be greater than 85% from 0.9 micron to 2.4 microns. The modular package for this array, dubbed the VIRGO array, allows three-side butting to form large mosaic arrays of 4K x 2nK format. The VIRGO readout integrated circuit (ROIC) utilizes a Source Follower per Detector (SFD) input circuit with a well capacity of about 2 x 10⁵ electrons and with a read noise of less than 20 e-rms with off-chip Correlated Double Sampling (CDS). Other features of the VIRGO array include 4 or 16 outputs (programmable), and a frame rate of up to 1.5 Hz in 16-output mode. Power dissipation is about 7 mW at a 1 Hz frame rate. Reset modes include both global reset and reset by row (ripple mode). Reference pixels are built-in to the output data stream. The first major application of the VIRGO array will be for VISTA, the United Kingdom’s Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy. The VISTA FPA will operate near 80K. Dark current is less than 0.1e-/sec at 80K. The cutoff wavelength of the HgCdTe detector can be adjusted for other applications. Space applications might include SNAP, the Supernova/Acceleration Probe, which requires a shorter detector cutoff wavelength of about 1.7 microns. For applications which require both visible and NIR response, the detector CdZnTe substrate can be removed after hybridization, allowing the thinned detector to respond to visible wavelengths as short as 0.4 microns.

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Peter J. Love, Alan W. Hoffman, David J. Gulbransen, Mark P. Murray, Ken J. Ando, Neil J. Therrien, Joseph P. Rosbeck, and Roger S. Holcombe "Large-format 0.85- and 2.5-μm HgCdTe detector arrays for low-background applications", Proc. SPIE 5167, Focal Plane Arrays for Space Telescopes, (12 January 2004); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.506258

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