Progress in resonator quantum well infrared photodetector (R-QWIP) focal plane arrays

• We report on the performance of a 640 × 512 resonant quantum well infrared photodetector (R-QWIP) focal plane array (FPA).
• We report on the conversion efficiency and quantum efficiency as a function of bias and temperature.
• We report on the dark current and Noise Equivalent Temperature Difference as a function of bias and temperature.

In this work, the performance of a 640 × 512 long-wavelength resonant quantum well infrared photodetector (R-QWIP) focal plane array (FPA) was evaluated as a function of operating temperature, bias, and photon flux using an F/2.2 optic. From these FPA measurements an assessment of the dark current, noise, conversion efficiency and noise-equivalent temperature difference is provided herein. Histogram results are used to support a statistical interpretation of operability and non-uniformity across the R-QWIP FPA. In addition, single pixel devices fabricated from the same wafer lot enabled supplemental noise gain and spectral response measurements. The spectral response of this R-QWIP structure was confirmed to peak around 8.3 microns with a spectral bandwidth or approximately 1 micron (full-width half maximum) and the noise gain measurements were used to provide an estimation of the expected external quantum efficiency (conversion efficiency = quantum efficiency ∗ gain).