Enhanced Barrier Infrared Detector and Focal Plane Array Development

Develop barrier infrared detector technology for the nation’s needs in high-performance SWIR (short-wavelength infrared), MWIR (mid-wavelength infrared), and  LWIR (long-wavelength infrared) imaging focal plane arrays (FPAs).

Under the enhanced barrier infrared detector and focal plane array project we are developing a compatible family of high-performance SWIR (short-wavelength infrared), MWIR (mid-wavelength infrared), and LWIR (long-wavelength infrared) detectors for focal plane array (FPA) applications. The barrier infrared detectors features infrared absorbers with adjustable cutoff wavelengths. They make use of the unipolar barrier device architecture in which the unipolar barriers serve to reduce generation-recombination dark current, but allow the un-impeded collection of photo-generated carriers. The high-performance, cost-effective infrared detector and focal plane array technology has a variety of potential applications. The main applications include infrared imaging systems and imaging spectrometers. The cost-effective infrared detector and imaging focal plane array technology under development in this project provides high FPA performance (high operability, high uniformity, high operating temperature, low 1/f noise). It is suitable for infusion into operational systems of many NASA, Defense, and industrial applications.