The 4x32 FIRGA array - a pacesetter for a 52x32 element gallium arsenide focal plane array

被引:9
作者
Katterloher, R [1 ]
Barl, L [1 ]
Beeman, J [1 ]
Czech, E [1 ]
Engemann, D [1 ]
Frenzl, O [1 ]
Haegel, N [1 ]
Haller, EE [1 ]
Henning, T [1 ]
Hermans, L [1 ]
Jakob, G [1 ]
Konuma, M [1 ]
Pilbratt, G [1 ]
机构
[1] Max Planck Inst Extraterr Phys, MPE, D-85740 Garching, Germany
来源
INFRARED ASTRONOMICAL INSTRUMENTATION, PTS 1-2 | 1998年 / 3354卷
关键词
infrared detector array; photoconductor; gallium arsenide; liquid phase epitaxy; cryogenic read-out;
D O I
10.1117/12.317301
中图分类号
P1 [天文学];
学科分类号
0704 ;
摘要
FIRST and SOFIA are both future infrared observatories with 3m class main mirrors having sophisticated instrumentation aboard. The present design of the FIRST imaging spectrometer PACS requires two large far-infrared photoconductor arrays of 25x16 pixels each, the baseline material is stressed and unstressed Ge:Ga. A gallium arsenide photoconductive detector which is sensitive in the far infrared (FIR) wavelength range from about 60 mu m to 300 mu m might offer the advantage of extending considerably the long wavelength cut-off of presently available photodetectors. FIRGA is an ESA sponsored detector development program on this matter involving international partners. The aim is a monolithic 4x32 demonstrator array module with associated cryogenic read-out electronics. Recent progress in material research has led to the production of Te-doped n-type GaAs layers using liquid phase epitaxy (LPE). We prepared sample detectors from those materials and investigated their electrical and infrared characteristics. First measurements indicate that GaAs has in principle considerable potential as a FIR photon detector. Theoretical modeling of GaAs detectors (bulk type and blocked impurity conduction band devices) can help with the detector design and allows the prediction of response transients as a function of detector parameters. Present development activities are mainly concentrating on material research, i.e. the production of GaAs:Te with improved FIR characteristics. Results of the current tests and measurements are reported. The FIRGA study is intended to prepare the technology for large two dimensional GaAs detector arrays for far infrared astronomy.
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页码:116 / 125
页数:10
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