Mercury Cadmium Telluride (HgCdTe) Detectors for Near Infrared Applications--Avyd Devices, Inc., 2925 College Avenue, Unit A-1, Costa Mesa, CA 92626; 714-751-8553
Dr. Honnavalli R. Vydyanath, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG03-99ER82747
Amount: $600,000

Short wavelength infrared detectors, operating at near theoretical limits for radiometric instrumentation, are needed to monitor changes in atmospheric chemical composition. This project will develop HgCdTe photovoltaic devices that are sensitive in the short wave region of solar radiation and exhibit detection performance close to the theoretical limits imposed by the material itself. In Phase I, HgCdTe photodiode arrays were demonstrated with cut-off wavelength of 2 microns, R_oA performance of 3 x 10³ ohm-cm², and external quantum efficiency of 69% at 300K. At zero bias, these performance values translate to a detectivity in excess of 5 x 10¹¹ Jones at room temperature. Phase II will optimize and reproducibly demonstrate 256 x 256 mosaics hybridized to Silicon Read Out Integration chips.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: Applications include detection of hot boxes on railroad cars, process control, measurement of the temperature of brake linings, power lines, cutting tools, welding and soldering operations, detection and monitoring of air pollution, and skin thermography for tumor detection and infrared cell sorting, etc.