Publications

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We have fabricated mid-wave infrared photodetectors containing InAsSb absorber regions and AlAsSb barriers in n-barrier-n (nBn) and n-barrier-p (nBp) configurations, and characterized them by current-voltage, photocurrent, and capacitance-voltage measurements in the 100-200 K temperature range. Efficient collection of photocurrent in the nBn structure requires application of a small reverse bias resulting in a minimum dark current, while the nBp devices have high responsivity at zero bias. When biasing both types of devices for equal dark currents, the nBn structure exhibits a differential resistance significantly higher than the nBp, although the nBp device may be biased for arbitrarily low dark current at the expense of much lower dynamic resistance. Capacitance-voltage measurements allow determination of the electron concentration in the unintentionally-doped absorber material, and demonstrate the existence of an electron accumulation layer at the absorber/barrier interface in the nBn device. Numerical simulations of idealized nBn devices demonstrate that photocurrent collection is possible under conditions of minimal absorber region depletion, thereby strongly suppressing depletion region Shockley-Read-Hall generation. © 2010 Copyright SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering.

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This report describes the research accomplishments achieved under the LDRD Project ''High-Bandwidth Optical Data Interconnects for Satellite Applications.'' The goal of this LDRD has been to address the future needs of focal-plane-array (FPA) sensors by exploring the use of high-bandwidth fiber-optic interconnects to transmit FPA signals within a satellite. We have focused primarily on vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) based transmitters, due to the previously demonstrated immunity of VCSELs to total radiation doses up to 1 Mrad. In addition, VCSELs offer high modulation bandwidth (roughly 10 GHz), low power consumption (roughly 5 mW), and high coupling efficiency (greater than -3dB) to optical fibers. In the first year of this LDRD, we concentrated on the task of transmitting analog signals from a cryogenic FPA to a remote analog-to-digital converter. In the second year, we considered the transmission of digital signals produced by the analog-to-digital converter to a remote computer on the satellite. Specifically, we considered the situation in which the FPA, analog-to-digital converter, and VCSEL-based transmitter were all cooled to cryogenic temperatures. This situation requires VCSELs that operate at cryogenic temperature, dissipate minimal heat, and meet the electrical drive requirements in terms of voltage, current, and bandwidth.

The authors have successfully demonstrated an optical data interconnection from the output of a focal plane array to the downstream data acquisition electronics. The demonstrated approach included a continuous wave laser beam directed at a multiple quantum well reflectance modulator connected to the focal plane array analog output. The output waveform from the optical interconnect was observed on an oscilloscope to be a replica of the input signal. They fed the output of the optical data link to the same data acquisition system used to characterize focal plane array performance. Measurements of the signal to noise ratio at the input and output of the optical interconnection showed that the signal to noise ratio was reduced by a factor of 10 or more. Analysis of the noise and link gain showed that the primary contributors to the additional noise were laser intensity noise and photodetector receiver noise. Subsequent efforts should be able to reduce these noise sources considerably and should result in substantially improved signal to noise performance. They also observed significant photocurrent generation in the reflectance modulator that imposes a current load on the focal plane array output amplifier. This current loading is an issue with the demonstrated approach because it tends to negate the power saving feature of the reflectance modulator interconnection concept.

This paper describes a method for transforming measured optical and infrared filter data for use with optical systems of arbitrary f-number and angle of incidence. Although it is generally desirable to have normal incidence at the filter (i.e., collimated light where an optical filter is used), other system design considerations may take precedence. In the case of a multispectral sensor under development at Sandia National Laboratories, system constraints require optical filter placement very near the focal plane. The light rays incident on the filters are therefore converging as determined by the system f-number while the chief ray of each ray bundle varies with focal plane position. To analyze the system`s spectral response at different points on the focal plane, a method was devised to transform the filter vendor`s measured data to account for the optical system design. The key to the transformation is the determination of weighting factors and shift factors for each angle of incidence making up a ray bundle. A computer worksheet was developed using a popular mathematical software package which performs this transformation for 75 key points on the focal plane.

Sandia National Laboratories and several subsystem contractors are developing technologies applicable to multispectral remote sensing from space. A proof of concept multispectral sensor system is under development. The objective of building this sensor is to demonstrate and evaluate multispectral imaging technologies for various applications. The three major subsystems making up the sensor are the focal plane assembly (FPA), the cryocooler, and the telescope. This paper covers the focal plane assembly, which is the basis of the sensor system. The focal plane assembly includes sensor chip assemblies, optical filters, and a vacuum enclosure with cold shielding. Linear detector arrays provide spatial resolution in the cross-track direction for a pushbroom imager configuration. The optical filters define 15 spectral bands in a range from 0.45 microns to 10.7 microns. All the detector arrays are mounted on a single focal plane and are designed to operate at 75 K. No beam splitters are used. The four spectral bands covering the visible to near infrared have roughly 2400 pixels each, and the remaining 11 spectral bands have roughly 600 pixels each. The average total rate of multispectral data from the FPA is approximately 15.4 megapixels per second. At the time this paper is being written, the multispectral focal plane assembly is in the fabrication phase. A thermal/mechanical mockup has been built and tested for the vibration environment and to determine the thermal load. Some of the sensor chip assemblies and filters have been built and tested. Several notable features of the design are covered in the paper as well as preliminary test data.