Raytheon is developing NIR sensor chip assemblies (SCAs) for scanning and staring 3D LADAR systems. High sensitivity is obtained by integrating high performance detectors with gain, i.e., APDs with very low noise Readout Integrated Circuits (ROICs). Unique aspects of these designs include: independent acquisition (non-gated) of pulse returns, multiple pulse returns with both time and intensity reported to enable full 3D reconstruction of the image. Recent breakthrough in device design has resulted in HgCdTe APDs operating at 300K with essentially no excess noise to gains in excess of 100, low NEP <1nW and GHz bandwidths and have demonstrated linear mode photon counting. SCAs utilizing these high performance APDs have been integrated and demonstrated excellent spatial and range resolution enabling detailed 3D imagery both at short range and long ranges. In the following we will review progress in real-time 3D LADAR imaging receiver products in three areas: (1) scanning 256 × 4 configuration for the Multi-Mode Sensor Seeker (MMSS) program and (2) staring 256 × 256 configuration for the Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology (ALHAT) lunar landing mission and (3) Photon-Counting SCAs which have demonstrated a dramatic reduction in dark count rate due to improved design, operation and processing.

The unique linear avalanche properties of HgCdTe preserve the Poisson statistics of the incoming photons, opening up new opportunities for GHz bandwidth LADAR and space communications applications. Raytheon has developed and previously reported (1) unique linear mode photon counting arrays based on combining advanced HgCdTe linear mode APDs with their high gain SB415B readout. Their use of HgCdTe APDs preserves the Poisson statistics of the incoming photons, enabling (noiseless) photon counting. This technology is of great potential interest to infrared astronomy but requires extension of noiseless linear HgCdTe avalanching down to much lower bandwidths (100 to 0.001 Hz) with corresponding reductions in dark count rate. We have hybridized the SB415B readout to SWIR HgCdTe APDs optimized for low dark count rate and have characterized their photon counting properties at bandwidths down to 1 KHz. As bandwidth is reduced, the performance becomes limited by the intrinsic properties of the SB415B readout, particularly readout glow, stability and 1/f noise. We report the results of these measurements and the status of hybrid arrays utilizing a newly developed readout which draws on Raytheon’s astronomical readout heritage, specifically the Virgo charge integrating source follower, as a path to much lower dark count rate photon counting operation.

Linear mode photon counting (LMPC) provides significant advantages in comparison with Geiger Mode (GM) Photon Counting including absence of after-pulsing, nanosecond pulse to pulse temporal resolution and robust operation in the present of high density obscurants or variable reflectivity objects. For this reason Raytheon has developed and previously reported on unique linear mode photon counting components and modules based on combining advanced APDs and advanced high gain circuits. By using HgCdTe APDs we enable Poisson number preserving photon counting. A metric of photon counting technology is dark count rate and detection probability. In this paper we report on a performance breakthrough resulting from improvement in design, process and readout operation enabling >10x reduction in dark counts rate to similar to 10,000 cps and >10(4)x reduction in surface dark current enabling long 10 ms integration times. Our analysis of key dark current contributors suggest that substantial further reduction in DCR to similar to 1/sec or less can be achieved by optimizing wavelength, operating voltage and temperature.

Raytheon is developing HgCdTe APD arrays and sensor chip assemblies (SCAs) for scanning and staring LADAR systems. The nonlinear characteristics of APDs operating in moderate gain mode place severe requirements on layer thickness and doping uniformity as well as defect density. MBE based HgCdTe APD arrays, engineered for high performance, meet the stringent requirements of low defects, excellent uniformity and reproducibility. In situ controls for alloy composition and substrate temperature have been implemented at HRL, LLC and Raytheon Vision Systems and enable consistent run to run results. The novel epitaxial designed using separate absorption-multiplication (SAM) architectures enables the realization of the unique advantages of HgCdTe including: tunable wavelength, low-noise, high-fill factor, low-crosstalk, and ambient operation. Focal planes built by integrating MBE detectors arrays processed in a 2 x 128 format have been integrated with 2 x 128 scanning ROIC designed. The ROIC reports both range and intensity and can detect multiple laser returns with each pixel autonomously reporting the return. FPAs show exceptionally good bias uniformity <1% at an average gain of 10. Recent breakthrough in device design has resulted in APDs operating at 300K with essentially no excess noise to gains in excess of 100, low NEP <1nW and GHz bandwidth. 3D LADAR sensors utilizing these FPAs have been integrated and demonstrated both at Raytheon Missile Systems and Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division at China Lake. Excellent spatial and range resolution has been achieved with 3D imagery demonstrated both at short range and long range. Ongoing development under an Air Force Sponsored MANTECH program of high performance HgCdTe MBE APDs grown on large silicon wafers promise significant FPA cost reduction both by increasing the number of arrays on a given wafer and enabling automated processing.

Raytheon/SBRC has demonstrated high quality Si:As IBC IR FPAs for both ground-based and space-based Mid-IR astronomy applications. These arrays offer in-band quantum efficiencies of approximately 50 percent over a wavelength range from 6 micrometers to 26 micrometers and usable responses from 2 micrometers to 28 micrometers . For high background, ground-based applications the readout input circuit is a direct injection (DI) FET, while for low background, space-based applications a source follower per detector (SFD) is used. The SFD offers extremely low noise and power dissipation, and is implemented in a very small unit cell. The DI input circuit offers much larger bucket capacity and better linearity compared with the SFD, and is implemented in a 50 micrometers unit cell. SBRC's Si:As IBC detector process results in very low dark current sand our Raytheon/MED readout process is optimized for very low redout noise at low temperature operation. SBRC is committed to achieving still better performance to serve the future needs of the IR astronomy community.