Modeling of hybridized infrared arrays for characterization of interpixel capacitive coupling

Abstract

Interpixel capacitance (IPC) is a deterministic electronic coupling resulting in a portion of signal incident on one pixel of a hybridized detector array being measured in adjacent pixels. Data collected by light sensitive HgCdTe arrays that exhibit this coupling typically goes uncorrected or is corrected by treating the coupling as a fixed point spread function. Evidence suggests that this coupling is not uniform across signal and background levels. Subarrays of pixels using design parameters based upon HgCdTe indium hybridized arrays akin to those contained in the James Webb Space Telescope’s NIRcam have been modeled from first principles using Lumerical DEVICE Software. This software simultaneously solves Poisson’s equation and the drift diffusion equations yielding charge distributions and electric fields. Modeling of this sort generates the local point spread function across a range of detector parameters. This results in predictive characterization of IPC across scene and device parameters that would permit proper photometric correction and signal restoration to the data. Additionally, the ability to visualize potential distributions and couplings as generated by the models yields insight that can be used to minimize IPC coupling in the design of future detectors.