2K X 2K molecular beam epitaxy HgCdTe detectors for the James Webb Space Telescope NIRCam instrument

James D. Garnett; Mark C. Farris; Selmer S. Wong; Majid Zandian; Donald N.B. Hall; Shane Jacobson; Gerard Luppino; Susan Parker; David Dorn; Steve Franka; Edward Freymiller; Stuart McMuldroch

doi:10.1117/12.553063

29 September 2004 2Kx2K molecular beam epitaxy HgCdTe detectors for the James Webb Space Telescope NIRCam instrument

James D. Garnett, Mark C. Farris, Selmer S. Wong, Majid Zandian, Donald N.B. Hall, Shane Jacobson, Gerard Luppino, Susan Parker, David Dorn, Steve Franka, Edward Freymiller, Stuart McMuldroch

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 5499, Optical and Infrared Detectors for Astronomy; (2004) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.553063
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2004, Glasgow, United Kingdom

Abstract

The NIRCam instrument will fly ten of Rockwell Scientific’s infrared molecular beam epitaxy HgCdTe 2048x2048 element detector arrays, each the largest available with current technology, for a total of 40 Megapixels. The instrument will have two varieties of MBE HgCdTe, a SWIR detector with λ_co = 2.5 μm, for the shortwave channel of NIRCam (0.6-2.3 μm); and a MWIR detector with λ_co = 5.3 μm, for the longwave channel of NIRCam (2.4-5.0 μm). Demonstrated mean detector dark currents less than 0.01 electrons per second per pixel at operating temperatures below 42 K for the MWIR and below 80 K for the SWIR, combined with quantum efficiency in excess of 80 percent and read noise below 6 electrons rms, make these detector arrays by far the most sensitive SWIR and MWIR devices in the world today. The unique advantages of molecular beam epitaxy as well as FPA data on noise, dark current, quantum efficiency, and other performance metrics will be discussed. In addition, the focal plane assembly package designs will be presented and discussed.

Citation Download Citation

James D. Garnett, Mark C. Farris, Selmer S. Wong, Majid Zandian, Donald N.B. Hall, Shane Jacobson, Gerard Luppino, Susan Parker, David Dorn, Steve Franka, Edward Freymiller, and Stuart McMuldroch "2Kx2K molecular beam epitaxy HgCdTe detectors for the James Webb Space Telescope NIRCam instrument", Proc. SPIE 5499, Optical and Infrared Detectors for Astronomy, (29 September 2004); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.553063

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available