Popis: |
The performance of very long wavelength infrared (VLWIR) HgCdTe photodiodes at temperatures ranging from 77 K up to 150 K is presented. The effect of inherent and excess current mechanisms on quantum efficiency and dynamic resistance-area RA product is analysed. Different methods of determining the ideality factor are shown and among them the one based on the use of RA product versus bias voltage proves to be the most reliable. At higher temperatures, however, the calculated ideality factor does not give any useful information about the nature of the p-n junction current due to significant influence of the series and shunt resistances. A comparison of the experimental data with the results of analytical and numerical calculations shows that the photodiodes with cut-off wavelength up to 14.5 μm are diffusion-limited at temperatures exceeding 100 K. |