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In-situ p-type doping activation near the MBE growth temperature of HgCdTe for advanced LWIR detectors

Award Information
Agency: Department of Defense
Branch: Air Force
Contract: F29601-01-C-0031
Agency Tracking Number: 001NM-3054
Amount: $749,583.00
Phase: Phase II
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: N/A
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: N/A
Award Year: 2001
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): N/A
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
590 Territorial Drive, Suite B, Suite B
Bolingbrook, IL 60440
United States
DUNS: 614747525
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Paul Boieriu (P. I.)
 Engineer
 (630) 771-0203
 paulepir@epir.com
Business Contact
 Jean-Pierre Faurie
Title: Vice-President
Phone: (630) 771-0203
Email: jpfaurie@epir.com
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

High-performance HgCdTe infrared focal plane arrays (IRFPAs) sensing in the long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) region and advanced structures such as multi-color detectors required for future generation IRFPAs are highly desirable for various Air Forceapplications. Such device architectures require not only reliable extrinsic n- and p-type doping of HgCdTe but also the precise control of composition and doping profiles. This can be best achieved using Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) within a single growthrun for a specific architecture. Although n-type doping with indium is well under control in MBE-HgCdTe, the situation concerning p-type doping with arsenic, which is the most suitable acceptor, is not satisfactory. In current technology, a hightemperature anneal above 400¿C is necessary to activate the arsenic species into acceptors. It is mandatory to develop a viable, reproducible and effective p-doping approach that does not involve thermal treatments above 250¿C in order to preserve thecompositional and doping profile integrity of HgCdTe-based structures. In Phase I, we demonstrated that in-situ As-doped MWIR HgCdTe can be p-type activated after a thermal anneal at 250¿C through a proprietary two-step process. In Phase II, we propose tooptimize this process by a precise control of arsenic incorporation and site transfer. The assessment of success will be established through the device processing and testing of p/n and n/p heterostructures with the goal of exceeding the reportedperformance of LWIR ion implanted structures.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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