Key issues in HgCdTe-based focal plane arrays: An industry perspective

Technological limits, not fundamental issues, are all that keep HgCdTe from completely dominating almost all infrared (IR) applications. The technological limits result from our incomplete understanding of HgCdTe materials science. This article’s snapshot view, from the unique perspective of the major United States HgCdTe IR detector array companies, suggests directions that HgCdTe detector technology should take as we approach the next century. We argue that the Government, industrial users, and industrial producers of HgCdTe must support continuing scientific investigation of this material to parallel the manufacturing of second generation HgCdTe-based systems. Without this manufacturing science base, systems will develop too slowly, cost too much, and fail too often. To assist developing this critically important technology, the article highlights some of the more vexing and as yet unsolved HgCdTe materials science and engineering problems that we see as being important.