Invited Paper TF+MI-WeA9
Thin Film Challenges for High Performance Ir Plasmon Enhanced Photodiodes: from Simulation to Focal Plane Array Integration and Characterization

Wednesday, November 9, 2016, 5:00 pm, Room 104E

For several decades now, Surface Plasmons (SP) have been increasingly studied for applications in many fields from chemistry, biology, to materials science. In the IR sensor community, the use of SPs to concentrate and channel light offers new possibilities to increase sensitivity or modify spectral response. However, the incorporation of metallic nanostructures in technologically mature components is challenging. This paper deals with the design and integration of a sub-wavelength photonic structure to add spectral functionalities to mid wave and longwave IR HgCdTe photodiodes. Based on simulation and experimental results, tradeoffs to reach the full potential of SP enhancement are discussed. The relationship between the metallic grating geometry and the excited optical mode is illustrated using numerical simulations. The agreement between the simulated and measured spectral response and dispersion relation on a test photodiode array is shown. The influence of the absorber, passivation, and adhesion layer properties and thicknesses on the resonance intensity and photodiode noise is experimentally illustrated. Finally, results of multicolor midwave IR focal plane arrays with shot noise limited operation and less than 0.3% defective pixels are presented.