Monte Carlo Simulation of Photoelectric Characteristics of Mercury-Cadmium-Tellurium- Based Infrared Focal-Plane-Array Detectors

Abstract

A mathematical model was developed to enable the Monte Carlo analysis of the charge-carrier diffusion process in the absorber layer of mercury- cadmium-tellurium (MCT) photovoltaic infrared focal-plane-array (IR FPA) detectors. Using this model, the distribution of local internal quantum efficiency η of FPA elements over the FPA area was calculated. Afterward, the integral quantum efficiency of arbitrarily illuminated FPAs was determined via convolution of the obtained distribution of η with illumination intensity. Following such calculations, some requirements to photoelectric properties of MCT material, and some suggestions on design optimization of FPA elements, allowing one to improve the sensitivity and spatial resolution of IR FPA detectors, were formulated.