Development of infrared focal plane arrays for space

Space astronomy requires large-area cryogenic infrared focal plane arrays (FPAs) with high quantum efficiency, extremely low dark current, low power dissipation, and background limited noise performance, To meet these requirements, especially at temperatures of 5-15 K, Santa Barbara Research Center designed and fabricated a new multiplexer, CRC-744. The FPAs made by bonding InSb detector arrays to CRC-744 multiplexers were evaluated at the University of Rochester. The best array achieved the read noise of 5 e(-) with 12 s integration and 7 e(-) with 200 s integration with Fowler-64 sampling at 15 K, the average dark current of <0.2 e(-)/s at both 15 and 29 It, and the average quantum efficiency of 87% at both 15 and 29 K. The 10%-90% rise time was 4 mu s driving a 600 pF external load. The power dissipation was 0.3-0.4 mW when running hat-out (100% duly cycle). The full well capacity was 10(5) e(-) (230 mV) with 400 mV of applied bias. The above test results demonstrate that the FPAs meet background-limited space experiment requirements. The CRC-744 multiplexer works well down to at least 5 K (the lowest temperature of our tests). (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.