Lead salt photodetectors and their optoelectronic characterization

Lead salt photoconductors are popular IR photodetectors due to their outstanding performance-to-cost ratio, high room temperature performance (D* > 1E10) and availability of large area detectors. The lead salt photodetector history has been reviewed also recognizing several more recent research developments. The chemical bath deposition technique for production of the lead salt detectors has been outlined, followed by a review of the basics for their characterization. Spectral responses of both PbS and PbSe detectors collected in a wide temperature range and properly corrected have been presented.