Search

The high-resolution mid-infrared spectrometer (HIRMES) is a high resolving power (R ~ 100,000) instrument operating in the 25–122 μm spectral range and will fly on board the Stratospheric Observatory for Far-Infrared Astronomy in 2019. Central to HIRMES are its two transition edge sensor (TES) bolometric cameras, an 8 × 16 detector high-resolution array and a 64 × 16 detector low-resolution array. Both types of detectors consist of Mo/Au TES fabricated on leg-isolated Si membranes. Whereas the high-resolution detectors, with a noise equivalent power (NEP) ~ 1.5 × 10−18 W/rt (Hz), are fabricated on 0.45 μm Si substrates, the low-resolution detectors, with NEP ~ 1.0 × 10−17 W/rt (Hz), are fabricated on 1.40 μm Si. Here, we discuss the similarities and differences in the fabrication methodologies used to realize the two types of detectors.

The external quantum efficiency in the spectral wavelength range 5–500 nm of a large active area Pt/n-type GaN Schottky photodiode that exhibits low reverse bias leakage current, is reported. The Schottky photodiodes were fabricated from n−/n+ epitaxial layers grown by low pressure metalorganic vapour phase epitaxy on single crystal c-plane sapphire. The current–voltage ( I – V ) characteristics of several 0.25 cm2 devices are presented together with the capacitance–voltage ( C – V ) characteristics of one of these devices. A leakage current as low as 14 pA at 0.5 V reverse bias is reported, for a 0.25 cm2 diode. The ultraviolet quantum efficiency measurements show that the diodes can be used as radiation hard detectors for the 5–365 nm spectral range without the use of visible blocking filters. A peak responsivity of 77.5 mA/W at 320 nm is reported for one of the fabricated devices, corresponding to a spectral detectivity, D * = 1.5 × 1 0 14 cm Hz 1 / 2 W - 1 . The average detectivity between 250 and 350 nm, for the same device, is reported to be D ¯ * = 1.3 × 1 0 14 cm Hz 1 / 2 W - 1 . The spatial responsivity uniformity variation was established, using H2 Lyman-α radiation, to be ±3% across the surface of a typical 0.25 cm2 diode.

Pt/4H-SiC Schottky photodiodes have been fabricated with the device areas up to 1 cm/sup 2/. The I-V characteristics and photoresponse spectra have been measured and analyzed. For a 5 mm/spl times/5 mm area device leakage current lower than 10/sup -15/ A at zero bias and 1.2/spl times/10/sup -14/ A at -1 V have been established. The quantum efficiency is over 30% from 240 to 320 nm. The specific detectivity, D/sup */, has been calculated from the directly measured leakage current and quantum efficiency are shown to be higher than 10/sup 15/ cmHz/sup 1/2//W from 210 to 350 nm with a peak D/sup */ of 3.6/spl times/10/sup 15/ cmHz/sup 1/2//W at 300 nm.

Two-dimensional MEMS microshutter arrays are being developed at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center for use in the near-infrared region on the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). The microshutter arrays are designed for the selective transmission of light with high efficiency and high contrast. The JWST environment requires cryogenic operation at 35K. Microshutter arrays are fabricated out of silicon-oxide-insulated (SOI) silicon wafers. Arrays are close-packed silicon nitride membranes with a pixel size of 100x200 p. Individual shutters are patterned with a torsion flexure permitting shutters to open 90 degrees with a minimized mechanical stress concentration. The mechanical shutter arrays are fabricated using MEMS technologies. The processing includes a multi- layer metal deposition and patterning of shutter electrodes and magnetic pads, reactive ion etching (NE) of the front side to form shutters out of the nitride membrane, an anisotropic back-etch for wafer thinning, followed by a deep RIE (DRIE) back-etch down to the nitride shutter membrane to form W e s and relieve shutters from the silicon substrate. An additional metal deposition and patterning is used to form back electrodes. Shutters are actuated using a magnetic force and latched using an electrostatic force. . . . KEYWORDS: microshutter, MEMS, RIE, DRIE, micro-optics, near inbred, space telescope

We report on the design, fabrication and characterization of a back-illuminated voltage bias selectable dual-band AlGaN UV photodetector. The photodetector can separate UVA and W-B band radiation by bias switching a two terminal n-p-n homojunction structure that is fabricated in the same pixel. When a forward bias is applied between the top and bottom electrodes, the detector can sense UV-A and reject W-B band radiation. Alternatively, under reverse bias, the photodetector can sense UV-B and reject UV-A band radiation.

Using conventional photolithography, Al 0.35 Ga 0.65 N pin diodes have been fabricated that exhibit extremely low reverse bias leakage currents. Macroscopic I-V measurements from a statistical population of 64, 120 μm diameter, circular diodes gives a mean leakage current of 0.96 fA with a standard deviation of 0.90 fA at -0.5 V bias.

Pt/n-type GaN Schottky photodiodes with large active areas which exhibit low leakage currents are fabricated. Reverse bias leakage currents of 2.7 nA for a 1 cm2 diode and 14 pA for a 0.25 cm2 diode both at −0.5 V bias are reported. External quantum efficiency measurements between the spectral range 50 to 500 nm gave a peak responsivity of 77.5 mA/W at 320 nm for a 0.25 cm2 diode, corresponding to a spectral detectivity, D*=1.5×1014 cmHz1/2W−1.