Simulation of the Spatial Distribution of the Local Quantum Efficiency and Photoelectric Characteristics of Photodiode-Based Infrared Focal Plane Arrays

Abstract

The results of calculation of the spatial distribution of the local quantum efficiency over the area of photodiode-based IR focal plane arrays (IR FPA) are presented. The diffusion of photogenerated charge carriers in the absorber layer of the array was calculated by Monte-Carlo simulation. Methods of reducing the amount of necessary calculations based on using the symmetry properties of the array are discussed. Requirements for the photoelectric and design parameters (absorber-layer thickness, chargecarrier diffusion length and optical absorption length in this layer, the ratio of the size of n–p junctions to the geometrical dimensions of the detector pixels) are formulated that ensure the threshold sensitivity and spatial resolution of IR FPAs.