Infrared Detectors for wavelengths from 1.5 to 12 microns

TE-Cooled Photoconductive (Most Sensitive)

Our most sensitive candidate is the photoconductive TE-cooled PCI-2TE-12. It is about 50X less sensitive than LN₂ cooled MCT at 10 kHz, 10X less sensitive at 1 MHz, and up to 10X more sensitive at 100 MHz. Note that the PCI-series devices incorporate immersion lens technology and the lenses begin to absorb at wavelengths shorter than 1.5 microns, so they should not be used for wavelengths less than 1.5 microns.

Wide Spectral Region (Also Fastest)

Our fastest candidate devices are the photovoltaic PEM-L series and PD-10.6 series, with 0.2 nanosecond response. The PD-10.6-series offers equivalent performance to the PEM-L series at a lower price.

Competing Techonology

Competing technologies are LN₂ cooled MCT (HgCdTe) or room temperature "thermal" detectors like pyroelectrics and thermopiles. Thermopiles are excellent at very low frequencies but die rapidly above about 25 Hz. Pyroelectrics similarly are limited in S/N above maybe 100 Hz. LN₂ cooled photoconductive MCT exhibits 1/f (flicker) noise at low frequencies (<5 kHz) and signal decline above ~200 kHz. Photovoltaic LN₂ cooled MCT represents the ultimate high sensitivity, high speed photodetector BUT these devices are RC time constant limited. That is, speed is inversely proportional to active area, so high speed implies small area.

In contrast, our room temperature devices have device architectures for which speed is not a function of area.

• PCI-2TE Series
• PD-10.6 Series
• PEM-L Series
• PEMI-L Series

For a more general overview, see the Infrared Detectors page.

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