Defect Analysis in a Long-Wave Infrared HgCdTe Auger-Suppressed Photodiode.

Deep defects in the long-wave infrared (LWIR) HgCdTe heterostructure photodiode were measured via deep-level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) and photoluminescence (PL). The n-P-π-N photodiode structure was grown by following the metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) technique on a GaAs substrate. DLTS has revealed two defects: one electron trap with an activation energy value of 252 meV below the conduction band edge, located in the low n-type-doped transient layer at the π-N interface, and a second hole trap with an activation energy value of 89 meV above the valence band edge, located in the π absorber.

Non-Equilibrium Long-Wave Infrared HgCdTe Photodiodes: How the Exclusion and Extraction Junctions Work Separately.

The cooling requirement for long-wave infrared detectors still creates significant limitations to their functionality. The phenomenon of minority-carrier exclusion and extraction in narrow-gap semiconductors has been intensively studied for over three decades and used to increase the operating temperatures of devices. Decreasing free carrier concentrations below equilibrium values by a stationary non-equilibrium depletion of the device absorber leads to a suppression of Auger generation.

Impact of Residual Compositional Inhomogeneities on the MCT Material Properties for IR Detectors.

HgCdTe is a well-known material for state-of-the-art infrared photodetectors. The interd-iffused multilayer process (IMP) is used for Metal-Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) of HgCdTe heterostructures, enabling precise control of composition. In this method, alternating HgTe and CdTe layers are deposited, and they homogenize during growth due to interdiffusion, resulting in a near-uniform material.

Study of HgCdTe (100) and HgCdTe (111)B Heterostructures Grown by MOCVD and Their Potential Application to APDs Operating in the IR Range up to 8 µm.

The trend related to reach the high operating temperature condition (HOT, temperature, > 190 K) achieved by thermoelectric (TE) coolers has been observed in infrared (IR) technology recently. That is directly related to the attempts to reduce the IR detector size, weight, and power dissipation (SWaP) conditions. The room temperature avalanche photodiodes technology is well developed in short IR range (SWIR) while devices operating in mid-wavelength (MWIR) and long-wavelength (LWIR) require cooling to suppress dark current due to the low energy bandgap.

[Thyroid ectopy - the presentation of four patients].

Ectopy of the thyroid gland means its incorrect location most often along the midline of the body from the foramen cecum to the mediastinum, usually in the dorsum of the tongue. In 75% of patients, the lingual thyroid is the only active thyroid tissue. ectopic thyroid is frequently incidentally diagnosed in patients without symptoms of hypothyroidism.