Infrared HOT Photodetectors: Status and Outlook

Area of Science:

• Optoelectronics
• Materials Science
• Infrared Technology

Background:

• Current room-temperature long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) detectors are thermal, offering modest efficiency, slow response, and limited multispectral capabilities.
• High-performance infrared (IR) photon detectors require cryogenic cooling, hindering widespread adoption and increasing system costs.
• Reducing size, weight, and power (SWaP) is crucial for cost-effective IR systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore advancements in infrared (IR) detector technology beyond current limitations.
• To identify promising materials for next-generation high-operating-temperature (HOT) IR photodetectors.
• To analyze factors influencing the development of future IR photodetector performance.

Main Methods:

• Review of current infrared (IR) detector technologies, including thermal and photon detectors.
• Analysis of performance metrics such as dark current density, responsivity, and detectivity.
• Consideration of novel materials like two-dimensional (2D) materials and colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) for IR detection.

Main Results:

• Thermal detectors are limited in speed and multispectral capability, while photon detectors necessitate cooling.
• Background radiation noise currently limits photon detector performance, as seen in P-i-N HgCdTe photodiodes.
• Emerging materials (2D materials, CQDs) show potential for high-operating-temperature (HOT) IR applications.

Conclusions:

• Significant efforts focus on developing photon-based IR detectors that operate at higher temperatures.
• Novel materials are essential for overcoming the limitations of current IR detector technologies.
• Future IR photodetector development hinges on optimizing materials and mitigating noise for enhanced performance.