The development of 3rd gen IR detectors at AIM

3rd generation IR modules - dual-color (DC), dual-band (DB), and large format two-dimensional arrays - require sophisticated production technologies such as molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) as well as new array processing techniques, which can satisfy the rising demand for increasingly complex device structures and low cost detectors. AIM will extend its future portfolio by high performance devices which make use of these techniques. The DC MW / MW detectors are based on antimonide type-II superlattices (produced by MBE at Fraunhofer IAF, Freiburg) in the 384x288 format with a 40 µm pitch. For AIM, the technology of choice for MW / LW DB FPAs is MCT MBE on CdZnTe substrates, which has been developed in cooperation with IAF, Freiburg. 640x512, 20 µm pitch Focal Plane Arrays (FPAs) have been processed at AIM. The growth of MW MCT MBE layers on alternate substrates is challenging, but essential for competitive fabrication of large two-dimensional arrays such as megapixel (MW 1280x1024, 15 µm pitch) FPAs. This paper will present the development status and latest results of the above-mentioned 3rd Gen FPAs and Integrated Detector Cooler Assemblies (IDCAs).