Extended SWIR type-II superlattice detectors at IRnova

In this paper, the latest results from development and production of extended shortwave infrared (Eswar) focal plane arrays (FPAs), based on IRnova’s 2.5 μm cut-off type-II superlattice (T2SL) design are presented. High sensitivity in video graphics array (VGA) format FPAs (640 × 512 pixels, 15 μm pitch) is demonstrated with a noise equivalent power (NEP) as low as 0.3 𝑓𝑊/√𝐻𝑧 in dark conditions and 2 𝑓𝑊/√𝐻𝑧 at typical operating conditions (background flux level of 3×108 photons/s/pixel). Furthermore, state-of-the-art uniformity is evidenced by narrow NEP histograms, uniform response maps and global Photo Response Non-Uniformity (PRNU) values of 1.5%. The imaging quality with these FPAs, operated in a thermos-electrically cooled camera is excellent, thanks to the good uniformity combined with close to ideal modulation transfer function (MTF) values of 0.6 @Nyquist frequency. This work is part of the development route towards large footprint (2040 × 512 pixels, 15 μm pitch) high definition (HD) space prototype eSWIR FPAs, currently performed within the EU-project STEP (Silicon and T2SL EuroPean collaboration for a non-dependent supply chain for large eSWIR FPAs).