In-situ minority carrier recombination lifetime measurements at radiation sources for rad-hard IR detector materials

Geoffrey D. Jenkins; Christian P. Morath; Vincent M. Cowan

doi:10.1117/12.2064565

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17 September 2014 In-situ minority carrier recombination lifetime measurements at radiation sources for rad-hard IR detector materials

Geoffrey D. Jenkins, Christian P. Morath, Vincent M. Cowan

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Proceedings Volume 9226, Nanophotonics and Macrophotonics for Space Environments VIII; 92260S (2014) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2064565
Event: SPIE Optical Engineering + Applications, 2014, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

Minority carrier recombination lifetime (MCRL) is a key material parameter for space-based infrared (IR) detector performance affecting both dark current and responsivity. Displacement damage due to energetic massive particles in space environments, such as protons, can significantly degrade the recombination lifetime, thereby reducing detector performance. Therefore, characterizing the change in MCRL with proton dose is of general interest from a radiation-hardness perspective. So-called “bag tests,” or measurements taken prior to and following room temperature proton irradiation of the device, are often of limited value to MCRL characterization since thermal annealing effects may be present. Here, progress toward a portable MCRL measurement system employing time resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) is presented. This system can be taken to remote radiation sources where irradiation can be performed on samples followed by TRPL measurements while maintaining temperature throughout. Ideally, this system permits measurement of a lifetime radiation damage factor constant, or the change in lifetime with step-wise changes in proton dose, which is a measure of the defect introduction rate. The pulsed-laser driven TRPL measurement system is able to interrogate IR materials of interest mounted in an optical cryostat held indefinitely at a desired temperature. A system description is given and results of verification measurements are discussed for several IR detector materials.

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Geoffrey D. Jenkins, Christian P. Morath, and Vincent M. Cowan "In-situ minority carrier recombination lifetime measurements at radiation sources for rad-hard IR detector materials", Proc. SPIE 9226, Nanophotonics and Macrophotonics for Space Environments VIII, 92260S (17 September 2014); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2064565

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