• English
  • Deutsch
  • Log In
    Password Login
    Research Outputs
    Fundings & Projects
    Researchers
    Institutes
    Statistics
Repository logo
Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft
  1. Home
  2. Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft
  3. Konferenzschrift
  4. InGaAs SWIR photodetectors for night vision
 
  • Details
  • Full
Options
2019
Conference Paper
Title

InGaAs SWIR photodetectors for night vision

Abstract
Short-wave infrared (SWIR) detection systems are increasingly demanded for surveillance, reconnaissance, and remote sensing applications. Passive SWIR cameras can benefit from an extended spectral range, compared to standard nightvision goggles, and the exploitation of the faint night-glow emission from the night sky. Furthermore, eye-safe SWIR lasers can improve the contrast and range of night-vision systems. High-performance SWIR photodetectors can be realized in the InGaAs material system, providing a typical cutoff wavelength of 1.7 mm, which covers a wide part of the night-glow spectrum as well the emission lines of available laser sources at typical telecom wavelengths around 1.55 mm. However, the low photon flux in night-vision applications demand for high responsivities and very low dark-current characteristics of the InGaAs photodetectors. We report on the current development activities of InGaAs SWIR photodetectors at Fraunhofer IAF. We have implemented a planar process technology of InGaAs/InP pin photodiodes for the fabrication of low-light-level SWIR cameras with 640× 512 pixels with 15 mm pixel pitch. Electro-optical characterization results of early-stage process runs exhibit darkcurrent densities below 10-7 A/cm2 at room temperature for 15-mm pitch detector elements. The current activities focus on further reducing the dark current to reach the international state of the art. Moreover, InGaAs-based avalanche photodiode (APD) have been developed for active SWIR imaging. Gain values of M ≈ 10 on camera level at a reverse bias voltage around 20 V have been achieved by a sophisticated vertical detector design. FPAs of such InGaAs-APD material have been successfully integrated into SWIR cameras with 640 × 512 pixels at 15 mm pixel pitch and operated in SWIR laser gated viewing mode.
Author(s)
Rutz, Frank  orcid-logo
Fraunhofer-Institut für Angewandte Festkörperphysik IAF  
Bächle, Andreas  
Fraunhofer-Institut für Angewandte Festkörperphysik IAF  
Aidam, Rolf  
Fraunhofer-Institut für Angewandte Festkörperphysik IAF  
Niemasz, Jasmin  
Fraunhofer-Institut für Angewandte Festkörperphysik IAF  
Bronner, Wolfgang  
Fraunhofer-Institut für Angewandte Festkörperphysik IAF  
Zibold, Andreas
Fraunhofer-Institut für Angewandte Festkörperphysik IAF  
Rehm, Robert  
Fraunhofer-Institut für Angewandte Festkörperphysik IAF  
Mainwork
Infrared Technology and Applications XLV  
Conference
Conference "Infrared Technology and Applications" 2019  
DOI
10.1117/12.2518634
Language
English
Fraunhofer-Institut für Angewandte Festkörperphysik IAF  
Keyword(s)
  • InGaAs

  • SWIR

  • photodetector

  • focal plane array

  • planar process

  • APD

  • night vision

  • gated viewing

  • Cookie settings
  • Imprint
  • Privacy policy
  • Api
  • Contact
© 2024