HOT MWIR T2SL detectors to reduce system size, weight, and power

In 2019, IRnova launched a full-scale production of a reduced size, weight and power integrated detector dewar cooler assemblies (Oden MW; VGA format with 15 μm pixel pitch) covering the full mid-wavelength infrared spectral domain (3.7 μm – 5.1 μm). Oden MW exhibits excellent performance with operating temperatures up to 110 K at F/5.5 with typical values of temporal and spatial noise equivalent temperature of 22 mK and 7 mK, respectively, and an operability higher than 99.85%. More recently, IRnova developed a new detector design with a cut-off wavelength of 5.3 μm which can potentially allow an operating temperature of the detector up to 150K with excellent performance demonstrated on single pixels with a quantum efficiency as high as 46% at 4 µm without antireflection coating, a turn on bias lower than -100 mV and a dark current density as low as 8 × 10^-6 A/cm², which is a factor of < 5 higher than Rule07. The dark current was also found independent of the device size ranging from 10 μm to 223 μm indicating that surface leakage currents are not limiting the dark current. The achievable operating temperature of an FPA made of this new detector design has been estimated to be <150 K with F/5.5 optics. These outstanding results demonstrate that this new generation of detector design is an excellent candidate for future high operating temperature and high-definition focal plane array.