Radiation Tolerance Characterization of Dual Band InAs/GaSb Type-II Strain-Layer Superlattice pBp Detectors Using 63 MeV Protons

The radiation tolerance characterization of dual band InAs/GaSb type-II strain-layer superlattice pBp detectors of varying size using 63 MeV proton irradiation is presented. The detectors' mid-wave infrared performance degraded with increasing proton fluence PhiP up to 3.75 x 10(exp 12)/sq cm or, equivalently, a total ionizing dose=500 kRad (Si). At this PhiP, an 31% drop in quantum efficiency g, 2 order increase in dark current density JD, and consequently, 1 order drop in calculated detectivity D* were observed. Proton damage factors were determined for g and D*. Arrhenius-analysis of temperature-dependent JD measurements reflected significant changes in the activation energies following irradiation.
Applied Physics Letters, v101 article 251108, 2012.