Theoretical Modeling of HOT HgCdTe Barrier Detectors for the Mid-Wave Infrared Range

This paper reports on theoretical modeling of medium-wavelength infrared HgCdTe barrier infrared detector (BIRD) photoelectrical performance. BIRD HgCdTe detectors were simulated with the commercially available software APSYS. Detailed analysis of the detector performance such as dark current, photocurrent, resistance–area product, detectivity versus applied bias, operating temperature, and structural parameters (absorber doping, barrier composition) was performed to determine the optimal operating conditions. It is shown that higher operation temperature conditions achievable with commonly used thermoelectric coolers allow detectivities of D = 9.5 × 1010 cmHz1/2/W and D* = 1.5 × 1011 cmHz1/2/W at T = 200 K to be obtained for the correct absorber doping for nBnnn+ and nBnpn+, respectively. R0A for the nBnnn+ detector was found to range from 200 Ω cm2 to 0.6 Ω cm2 at T = 200 K to 300 K, respectively.