Recent short-wave infrared (SWIR) sensors have demonstrated in-pixel multimode capabilities. One of the additional modes is range finding. High resolution range finding is increasingly becoming vital functionality in high precision targeting and imaging systems. Highly precise and accurate range-to-target information is essential for many modern commercial and military applications. With the recent advances in LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology, range measurement accuracies as low as a centimeter at kilometer ranges. Sensors Unlimited Inc. (SUI), a Raytheon Technologies (RTX) Company, has been developing these multimode sensors using traditional PIN-based InGaAs detector technology. However, the capability of these sensors has been extended through the introduction of Avalanche Photodetector (APD) InGaAs sensors. This APD technology has been developed onshore to better serve the onshore community requiring simultaneous laser tracking, ranging, and imaging applications. In this work, SUI offers an update on previously presented, PDA-specific development, most specifically related to the advancement of Geiger Mode Avalanche Photodetectors (GMAPD). SUI’s APD technology is in direct response to the challenging SWaP and NEI performance requirements of active imaging and tracking applications. This update includes 2D and 3D TCAD simulation results with a comparison with measured performance results. Finally, initial results related to the advanced development of Geiger Mode Avalanche Photodetectors (GMAPD) themselves as well as supporting electronics is given. The revitalization of SUI’s APD development is a direct response to the challenging SWaP and longer-range with higher accuracy performance requirements of active imaging applications. SUI’s most recent APD design improvements facilitates greater signal to noise ratio at the pixel, which subsequently enables a supporting ROIC pixel design with improved performance.
KEYWORDS: Aerospace engineering, Photodetectors, Diffusion, Modulation transfer functions, Avalanche photodetectors, Readout integrated circuits, Personal digital assistants, Metals, Short wave infrared radiation, Scanning electron microscopy
Increasing shortwave infrared (SWIR) sensor performance requirements have pushed traditional HOT detector technologies to their limits. Collins Aerospace Princeton, a Raytheon Technologies (RTX) Company, has answered this call by looking beyond dark current reduction, and leveraging its onshore foundry capabilities to develop unprecedented, high performance photodetector array (PDA) technologies to better serve both passive and active imaging applications. In this work, Collins Aerospace Princeton offers an update on several previously presented, PDA-specific development fronts as well as offering introductions into other novel efforts. In addition to presenting current state-ofthe-art (SOA) InGaAs dark current performance, results related to mesa-structure PDAs for modulation transfer function (MTF) improvement and hybridization capacitance reduction for active imaging noise equivalent irradiance (NEI) improvement are offered. Additionally, focal plane array (FPA) interconnection improvement techniques and results for yield improvement and cost reduction are presented. Finally, results related to the three most advanced and nascent development tracks, avalanche photodiode (APD), PDA metallization and single side bumped FPA, are introduced. Collins Aerospace Princeton’s APD technology is in direct response to the challenging size, weight, and power (SWaP) and NEI performance requirements of active imaging applications. Similarly, Collins Aerospace Princeton’s PDA metallization technology, inspired by silicon-based brethren, facilitates greater integration capability on the PDA itself, which subsequently allows for greater functionality and performance at every pixel location. The most recently developed single side bumped FPA will dramatically improve operability with reduced cost. Overall, these PDA-specific developments represent the most innovative SWIR technology portfolio known to date.
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