Infrared Detectors

Infrared detectors: an overview

The paper presents progress in infrared (IR) detector technologies during 200 history of their development. Classification of two types of IR detectors (photon detectors and thermal detectors) is done on the basis of their principle of operation. The overview of IR systems and detectors is presented. Also recent progress in different IR technologies is described. Discussion is focused mainly on...

History of infrared detectors

This paper overviews the history of infrared detector materials starting with Herschel’s experiment with thermometer on February 11th, 1800. Infrared detectors are in general used to detect, image, and measure patterns of the thermal heat radia− tion which all objects emit. At the beginning, their development was connected with thermal detectors, such as ther− mocouples and bolometers, which ar...

Imaging Infrared Detectors II

ReSi2 thin-film infrared detectors

Two types of thin-film infrared-sensing devices have been investigated using the narrow band-gap semiconductor, rhenium disilicide ~Eg;0.1 eV!. These are the ReSi2/n-Si heterojunction internal photoemission ~HIP! detector and the ReSi2 thin-film photoconductor. The HIP device was found to be rectifying and to obey a Fowler-type law with a long-wavelength cutoff of ;2.1 mm ~0.59 eV! at room temp...

Infrared Detectors for the Future

In the paper, fundamental and technological issues associated with the development and exploitation of the most advanced infrared detector technologies are discussed. In this class of detectors both photon and thermal detectors are considered. Special attention is directed to HgCdTe ternary alloys on silicon, type-II superlattices, uncooled thermal bolometers, and novel uncooled micromechanical...