Photovoltaic Detector: HgCdTe (MCT)

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Photovoltaic detectors (photodiodes) are semiconductor structures that have one (PV) or multiple (PVM) homojunction or heterojunctions. Absorbed photons generate charge carriers that accumulate at the contacts, leading to an external photocurrent.

Photodiodes are known to have complex current-voltage properties. Such devices can work either with reverse voltage or at flicker-free zero bias. A reverse bias voltage is often used to boost responsivity and differential resistance, increase the dynamic range, decrease the shot noise and enhance high-frequency performance.

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The PCI-3TE-12-1×1-TO8-wZnSeAR-36 from VIGO Photonics is a three-stage thermoelectrically cooled IR photoconductor based on the advanced HgCdTe heterostructure to ensure optimal performance and stability.

The photoconductor has been improved to deliver optimum performance at 12 µm. The detector element is monolithically incorporated with hyper hemispherical GaAs microlens to enhance the performance of the device.

Photoconductive detectors are expected to work in optimal bias voltage and current readout mode. Thanks to 1/f noise, low-frequency performance is decreased, while the 3° wedged zinc selenide anti-reflection-coated (wZnSeAR) window prevents undesirable interference effects.

Table 1. Source: VIGO Photonics

Name	Cooling	Immersion	Optimal wavelength λ_opt, µm	Detectivity D*(λ_opt), cm·Hz^1/2/W	Package	Time constant τ, ns
PVI-5-1×1-TO39-NW-36	Uncooled	Yes	5.0	≥1.0×10¹⁰	TO39	≤150
PVI-4-1×1-TO39-NW-36	Uncooled	Yes	4.0	≥3.0x10¹⁰	TO39	≤150
PVI-2TE-4-1×1-TO8-wAl2O3-36	Two-stage TE cooled	Yes	4.0	≥3.0x10¹¹	TO8	≤100
PVI-2TE-5-1×1-TO8-wAl2O3-36	Two-stage TE cooled	Yes	5.0	≥9.0x10¹⁰	TO8	≤80
PVI-2TE-6-1×1-TO8-wZnSeAR-36	Two-stage TE cooled	Yes	6.0	≥4.0×10¹⁰	TO8	≤50
PVI-4TE-6-1×1-TO8-wZnSeAR-36	Four-stage TE cooled	Yes	6.0	≥6.0×10¹⁰	TO8	≤50
PVM-10.6-1×1-TO39-NW-90	Uncooled	No	10.6	≥1.0x10⁷	TO39	≤1.5
PVM-2TE-10.6-1×1-TO8-wZnSeAR-70	Two-stage TE cooled	Yes	10.6	≥1.0×10⁸	TO8	≤90
PVMI-2TE-10.6-1×1-TO8-wZnSeAR-36	Two-stage TE cooled	Yes	10.6	≥1.0x10⁹	TO8	≤3
PVMI-4TE-10.6-1×1-TO8-wZnSeAR-36	Four-stage TE cooled	Yes	10.6	≥2.5x10⁹	TO8	≤3
PEM-10.6-2×2-PEM-SMA-wZnSeAR-48	Uncooled	No	10.6	≥1.0x10⁷	PEM with SMA connector	≤1.2

All HgCdTe (MCT) Photovoltaic Detectors

Table 2. Source: VIGO Photonics

Name	Cooling	Immersion	Optimal wavelength λ_opt, µm	Detectivity D*(λ_opt), cm·Hz^1/2/W	Package	Time constant τ, ns
PV-3	Uncooled	No	3.0	≥6.5x10⁹	BNC, TO8, TO39	≤350
PV-3.4	Uncooled	No	3.4	≥5.0x10⁹	BNC, TO8, TO39	≤260
PV-4	Uncooled	No	4.0	≥3.0x10⁹	BNC, TO8, TO39	≤150
PV-5	Uncooled	No	5.0	≥1.0x10⁹	BNC, TO8, TO39	≤120
PV-6	Uncooled	No	6.0	≥5.0x10⁸	BNC, TO8, TO39	≤80
PV-2TE-3	Two-stage TE cooled	No	3.0	≥7.0x10¹⁰	TO8, TO66	≤280
PV-2TE-3.4	Two-stage TE cooled	No	3.4	≥4.0x10¹⁰	TO8, TO66	≤200
PV-2TE-4	Two-stage TE cooled	No	4.0	≥3.0x10¹⁰	TO8, TO66	≤100
PV-2TE-5	Two-stage TE cooled	No	5.0	≥9.0x10⁹	TO8, TO66	≤80
PV-2TE-6	Two-stage TE cooled	No	6.0	≥2.0x10⁹	TO8, TO66	≤50
PV-2TE-8	Two-stage TE cooled	No	8.0	≥2.0x10⁸	TO8, TO66	≤45
PV-2TE-10.6	Two-stage TE cooled	No	10.6	≥1.0x10⁸	TO8, TO66	≤10
PV-3TE-3	Three-stage TE cooled	No	3.0	≥1.0x10¹¹	TO8, TO66	≤280
PV-3TE-3.4	Three-stage TE cooled	No	3.4	≥7.0x10¹⁰	TO8, TO66	≤200
PV-3TE-4	Three-stage TE cooled	No	4.0	≥4.0x10¹⁰	TO8, TO66	≤100
PV-3TE-5	Three-stage TE cooled	No	5.0	≥1.0x10¹⁰	TO8, TO66	≤80
PV-3TE-6	Three-stage TE cooled	No	6.0	≥4.0x10⁹	TO8, TO66	≤50
PV-3TE-8	Three-stage TE cooled	No	8.0	≥3.0x10⁸	TO8, TO66	≤45
PV-3TE-10.6	Three-stage TE cooled	No	10.6	≥1.5x10⁸	TO8, TO66	≤10
PV-4TE-3	Four-stage TE cooled	No	3.0	≥1.5x10¹¹	TO8, TO66	≤280
PV-4TE-3.4	Four-stage TE cooled	No	3.4	≥1.0x10¹¹	TO8, TO66	≤200
PV-4TE-4	Four-stage TE cooled	No	4.0	≥6.0x10¹⁰	TO8, TO66	≤100
PV-4TE-5	Four-stage TE cooled	No	5.0	≥1.5x10¹⁰	TO8, TO66	≤80
PV-4TE-6	Four-stage TE cooled	No	6.0	≥5.0x10⁹	TO8, TO66	≤50
PV-4TE-8	Four-stage TE cooled	No	8.0	≥4.0x10⁸	TO8, TO66	≤45
PV-4TE-10.6	Four-stage TE cooled	No	10.6	≥2.0x10⁸	TO8, TO66	≤25
PVI-3	Uncooled	Yes	3.0	≥5.0x10¹⁰	TO39, BNC	≤350
PVI-3.4	Uncooled	Yes	3.4	≥4.5x10¹⁰	TO39, BNC	≤260
PVI-4	Uncooled	Yes	4.0	≥2.0x10¹⁰	TO39, BNC	≤150
PVI-5	Uncooled	Yes	5.0	≥9.0x10¹⁰	TO39, BNC	≤120
PVI-6	Uncooled	Yes	6.0	≥4.0x10⁹	TO39, BNC	≤80
PVI-2TE-3	Two-stage TE cooled	Yes	3.0	≥5.5x10¹¹	TO8, TO66	≤280
PVI-2TE-3.4	Two-stage TE cooled	Yes	3.4	≥3.0x10¹¹	TO8, TO66	≤200
PVI-2TE-4	Two-stage TE cooled	Yes	4.0	≥2.0x10¹¹	TO8, TO66	≤100
PVI-2TE-5	Two-stage TE cooled	Yes	5.0	≥6.0x10¹⁰	TO8, TO66	≤80
PVI-2TE-6	Two-stage TE cooled	Yes	6.0	≥2.0x10¹⁰	TO8, TO66	≤50
PVI-2TE-8	Two-stage TE cooled	Yes	8.0	≥2.0x10⁹	TO8, TO66	≤45
PVI-2TE-10.6	Two-stage TE cooled	Yes	10.6	≥1.0x10¹⁰	TO8, TO66	≤10
PVI-3TE-3	Three-stage TE cooled	Yes	3.0	≥7.0x10¹¹	TO8, TO66	≤280
PVI-3TE-3.4	Three-stage TE cooled	Yes	3.4	≥5.0x10¹¹	TO8, TO66	≤200
PVI-3TE-4	Three-stage TE cooled	Yes	4.0	≥3.0x10¹¹	TO8, TO66	≤100
PVI-3TE-5	Three-stage TE cooled	Yes	5.0	≥8.0x10¹⁰	TO8, TO66	≤80
PVI-3TE-6	Three-stage TE cooled	Yes	6.0	≥3.0x10¹⁰	TO8, TO66	≤50
PVI-3TE-8	Three-stage TE cooled	Yes	8.0	≥3.0x10⁹	TO8, TO66	≤45
PVI-3TE-10.6	Three-stage TE cooled	Yes	10.6	≥1.5x10⁹	TO8, TO66	≤10
PVI-4TE-3	Four-stage TE cooled	Yes	3.0	≥8.0x10¹¹	TO8, TO66	≤280
PVI-4TE-3.4	Four-stage TE cooled	Yes	3.4	≥7.0x10¹¹	TO8, TO66	≤200
PVI-4TE-4	Four-stage TE cooled	Yes	4.0	≥4.0x10¹¹	TO8, TO66	≤100
PVI-4TE-5	Four-stage TE cooled	Yes	5.0	≥1.0x10¹¹	TO8, TO66	≤80
PVI-4TE-6	Four-stage TE cooled	Yes	6.0	≥4.0x10¹⁰	TO8, TO66	≤50
PVI-4TE-8	Four-stage TE cooled	Yes	8.0	≥4.0x10⁹	TO8, TO66	≤45
PVI-4TE-10.6	Four-stage TE cooled	Yes	10.6	≥2.0x10⁹	TO8, TO66	≤25
PVM-8	Uncooled	No	8.0	≥6.5x10⁷	TO39, BNC	≤4
PVM-10.6	Uncooled	No	10.6	≥1.0x10⁷	TO39, BNC	≤1.5
PVM-2TE-8	Two-stage TE cooled	No	8.0	≥3.0x10⁸	TO8, TO66	≤4
PVM-2TE-10.6	Two-stage TE cooled	No	10.6	≥1.0x10⁸	TO8, TO66	≤3
PVMI-8	Uncooled	Yes	8.0	≥3.0x10⁸	TO39, BNC	≤4
PVMI-10.6	Uncooled	Yes	10.6	≥1.0x10⁸	BNC, TO39	≤1.5
PVMI-2TE-8	Two-stage TE cooled	Yes	8.0	≥2.0x10⁹	TO8, TO66	≤4
PVMI-2TE-10.6	Two-stage TE cooled	Yes	10.6	≥1.0x10⁹	TO8, TO66	≤3
PVMI-3TE-8	Three-stage TE cooled	Yes	8.0	≥3.0x10⁹	TO8, TO66	≤4
PVMI-3TE-10.6	Three-stage TE cooled	Yes	10,6	≥1.5x10⁹	TO8, TO66	≤3
PVMI-4TE-8	Four-stage TE cooled	Yes	8.0	≥6.0x10⁹	TO8, TO66	≤4
PVMI-4TE-10.6	Four-stage TE cooled	Yes	10.6	≥2.0x10⁹	TO8, TO66	≤3
PEM-10.6	Uncooled	No	10.6	≥1.0x10⁷	PEM-SMA, PEM-TO8	≤1.2
PEMI-10.6	Uncooled	Yes	10.6	≥1.0x10⁸	PEM-SMA, PEM-TO8	≤1.2