Polarity inversion and coupling of laser beam induced current in As-doped long-wavelength HgCdTe infrared detector pixel arrays: Experiment and simulation

In this paper, experimental results of polarity inversion and coupling of laser beam induced current for As-doped long-wavelength HgCdTe pixel arrays grown on CdZnTe are reported. Models for the p-n junction transformation are proposed and demonstrated using numerical simulations. Simulation results are shown to be in agreement with the experimental results. It is found that the deep traps induced by ion implantation are very sensitive to temperature, resulting in a decrease of the quasi Fermi level in the implantation region in comparison to that in the Hg interstitials diffusion and As-doped regions. The Hg interstitial diffusion, As-doping amphoteric behavior, ion implantation damage traps, and the mixed conduction, are key factors for inducing the polarity reversion, coupling, and junction broadening at different temperatures. The results provide the near room-temperature HgCdTe photovoltaic detector with a reliable reference on the junction reversion and broadening around implanted regions, as well as controlling the n-on-p junction for very long wavelength HgCdTe infrared detector pixels.