Strained layer superlattice focal plane array having a planar structure

US8293566B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Sandia Corporation · US

Inventors

• Jin-Kwang Kim · Suneung-ri, KR
• Malcolm S. Carroll · Albuquerque, US
• Aaron Gin · Albuquerque, US
• Phillip F. Marsh · Lowell, US
• Erik William Young · Albuquerque, US
• Michael J. Cich · Fremont, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 15, 2010
• Grant date: Oct 23, 2012
• Expiry date: Jul 20, 2030

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10F77/146

Abstract

An infrared focal plane array (FPA) is disclosed which utilizes a strained-layer superlattice (SLS) formed of alternating layers of InAs and InxGa1-xSb with 0≦x≦0.5 epitaxially grown on a GaSb substrate. The FPA avoids the use of a mesa structure to isolate each photodetector element and instead uses impurity-doped regions formed in or about each photodetector for electrical isolation. This results in a substantially-planar structure in which the SLS is unbroken across the entire width of a 2-D array of the photodetector elements which are capped with an epitaxially-grown passivation layer to reduce or eliminate surface recombination. The FPA has applications for use in the wavelength range of 3-25 μm.