The structural and electrical properties of heteroepitaxial HgCdTe/CdZnTe/GaAs/Si were evaluated using high-resolution x-ray diffraction techniques and Hall-effect measurements as a function of temperature. Significant tilting of the layers was found for both {100} and {111} CdZnTe layers grown on misoriented {100}GaAs/Si substrates, consistent with the interpretation of a low-angle tilt boundary being formed at the interface to relieve the large lattice mismatch between the layers. The GaAs layer is in a state of biaxial tension before and after the growth of the CdZnTe layers. The x-ray FWHM of HgCdTe layers grown by LPE on these substrates was found to be reduced from that of the MOCVD-grown CdZnTe buffer layer due to both an annealing effect during LPE growth and to the increased distance of layer surface from the defective CdZnTe/GaAs interface. Hall-effect mobility for {100}HgCdTe layers was nearly identical to that of layers grown on bulk CdZnTe substrates. High-quality heterojunction infrared detectors have been fabricated using these materials.

Thin-film epitaxial layers on silicon substrates are being actively developed as an alternative to bulk substrates for infrared detectors. Success in this development is expected to yield improvements in size, strength, monolithic signal processing, and cost of the detector arrays. To provide feedback to the thin-film growth process, this study has investigated the structural and chemical properties of these films. CdTe or CdZnTe was grown on GaAs on Si wafers by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) followed by the growth of HgCdTe by liquid-phase epitaxy (LPE). Development of TEM specimen preparation techniques permitted investigation of materials with up to four layers. Cross sectional TEM and AEM investigations resulted in the following observations: Selected area diffraction and CTEM show relations between the layers and structural defects. High resolution imaging of the multilayers reveals that most of the heteroepitaxial misfit is accomodated by misfit dislocations. Many, but not all, stacking faults and dislocations which propagate across the films appear to be related to structural interface defects. The evidence indicates that there is little, if any, contamination at MOCVD and LPE interfaces. Interface defects mainly appear to be extremely minute pits or hillocks. AEM investigations of interface regions have demonstrated a redistribution of material close to the CdZnTe / HgCdTe interface.

Semiconductor pixel detectors hold great promise for replacing scintillation cameras in nuclear medicine; improvements in spatial resolution, energy resolution and sensitivity should result. The current status of this subject is briefly reviewed. The fabrication of hybrid, 48 × 48 CdZnTe pixel arrays for use in gamma-ray imaging is described. Each detector array is indium-bump bonded to a Hughes 48 × 48 multiplexer chip; the design is similar to that of an infrared focal-plane array. The 48 × 48 CdZnTe array is shown to perform well as a gamma-ray imaging system with 125 μm spatial resolution (at 60 keV), equivalent to the pixel spacing. A correction technique for charge spreading between pixels is demonstrated. The implications of macroscopic crystal defects on array performance are briefly discussed.

Previous work has shown that hybrid semiconductor detector arrays similar to those used in infrared focal-plane arrays are very attractive for use in nuclear medicine and other gamma-ray imaging applications. In this paper, we describe the development of a 64 × 64 readout multiplexer specifically for use in gamma-ray imaging; we also describe the construction of 64 × 64 CdZnTe hybrid detector arrays using the new readout. The readout and detector array are both about one inch square (2.5 cm × 2.5 cm) and have 380 µm pixel pitch. Some initial assembly problems have been resolved by stabilizing the hybrids with epoxy. Preliminary testing results are presented that verify that the 64 × 64 CdZnTe arrays perform as excellent imaging spectrometers.

We report on the construction and initial testing of a 48 × 48 CdZnTe array with 125 μm pixel spacing and multiplexer readout. Large portions of the array function well but there was a loss of pixels near one corner of the array due to non-interconnecting indium bumps. This problem is readily correctable. Excellent single-pixel spectra were obtained with a 99mTc source using an adjustment technique that accounts for energy deposited in neighboring pixels. A point-spread function (PSF) taken at 140 keV yielded a spatial resolution of 230 μm, much better than required for nuclear medicine applications. No problems were found that are not readily correctable or of much less significance for CdZnTe arrays having larger pixel spacing. We are now constructing 64 × 64 CdZnTe arrays with 380 μm pixel spacing for use in an ultra-high resolution brain SPECT imaging system.

We report results of gamma-ray imaging and energy-resolution tests of a 48x48 CdZnTe array. Our detectors have 125 mu m square pixel electrodes produced by photolithography and are indium-bump-bonded to a multiplexer readout circuit. Using a collimated beam of 140 keV gamma rays of 120 mu m diameter centered on one pixel, we found that the majority of events produced significant charge deposition in nearby pixels. Charge and energy are transported out of the pixel by charge diffusion, photoelectron range, Compton scattering, and escape of K x rays. These effects also distort single-pixel spectra, although photopeaks are still discernible at 140 keV. When signals from neighboring pixels are summed together to correct for this charge spreading, an energy resolution of 10 keV is obtained at 140 keV. Corrections will be simple; and energy resolution should be better for the 380 mu m pixels of the 64x64 CdZnTe arrays we are constructing for an ultra-high-resolution brain imager.

Classical solid-state detection of x-ray and gamma-ray radiation consists of a high voltage applied between two metallic contacts sandwiching a high resistivity, high dielectric strength material; high voltage and high resistivity are required to enable complete charge collection while minimizing the resolution-degrading leakage current (dark current). We report here the conception and successful fabrication and test of a new device construct which changes this paradigm. P-type and n-type layers are fabricated by mercury cadmium telluride (HC.T) liquid phase epitaxy (LPE) on opposite sides of a high-quality wafer of CdZnTe (CZT) in order to construct a p-i-n diode structure. Wafers up to 9 cm2 area have been grown. This diode structure provides an extremely high effective resistivity and barrier to the flow of dark current in the device. Several wafer lots have repeatably yielded p-i-n detectors which exhibit typical diode current-voltage (I-V) curves with very low dark currents at very high bias voltages. Spectra obtained from these detectors produce exceptionally sharp photopeaks which exhibit very little low-energy tailing.

Direct epitaxial growth of high-quality 100lCdZnTe on 3 inch diameter vicinal {100}Si substrates has been achieved using molecular beam epitaxy (MBE); a ZnTe initial layer was used to maintain the {100} Si substrate orientation. The properties of these substrates and associated HgCdTe layers grown by liquid phase epitaxy (LPE) and subsequently processed long wavelength infrared (LWIR) detectors were compared directly with our related efforts using CdZnTe/ GaAs/Si substrates grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). The MBE-grown CdZnTe layers are highly specular and have both excellent thickness and compositional uniformity. The x-ray full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) of the MBE-grown CdZnTe/Si increases with composition, which is a characteristic of CdZnTe grown by vapor phase epitaxy, and is essentially equivalent to our results obtained on CdZnTe/GaAs/Si. As we have previously observed, the x-ray FWHM of LPE-grown HgCdTe decreases, particularly for CdZnTe compositions near the lattice matching condition to HgCdTe; so far the best value we have achieved is 54 arc-s. Using these MBE-grown substrates, we have fabricated the first high-performance LWIR HgCdTe detectors and 256 x 256 arrays using substrates consisting of CdZnTe grown directly on Si without the use of an intermediate GaAs buffer layer. We find first that there is no significant difference between arrays fabricated on either CdZnTe/Si or CdZnTe/GaAs/Si and second that the results on these Si-based substrates are comparable with results on bulk CdZnTe substrates at 78K. Further improvements in detector performance on Si-based substrates require a decrease in the dislocation density.

To facilitate the production of HgCdTe IR detectors on Si substrates, epitaxial films of ZnTe and CdZnTe/ZnTe have been deposited by molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE) onto both Si(001) and Si(112) substrates. On Si(001) substrates misoriented from 0 to 8-degree toward [110], parallel epitaxy of ZnTe(001) and CdZnTe(001)/ZnTe(001) has bene observed. Using ZnTe initiation layers, high quality CdZnTe(001) films have been demonstrated with (004) reflection x-ray rocking curves as narrow as 158 arc-secs for Cd0.96Zn0.04Te and 78 arc-secs for CdTe. HgCdTe(001) films grown by liquid-phase epitaxy (LPE) on these MBE CdZnTe/ZnTe/Si(001) substrates have x-ray rocking curves as low as 55 arc-secs and average etch pit densities of 5 x 10(6) cm-2. IR detectors, fabricated from LPE-grown p-on-n heterojunctions on CdZnTe/Si, are comparable in performance to detectors on bulk CdZnTe substrates with R0A > 2 x 10(3) OMEGA-cm2 at 78 K for a 9.4 mum cutoff wavelength. On vicinal Si(112) substrates, ZnTe nucleates in either the (112) or twin (552) orientation, depending on the Si misorientation. CdTe deposited on ZnTe/Si(112) nucleates in the same orientation as the ZnTe. X-ray rocking curves as narrow as 110 arc-secs have been obtained for CdTe(552) epitaxy.

Molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE) has been utilized to deposit single crystal films of ZnTe and CdZnTe/ZnTe onto Si(100) and Si(112) substrates. Parallel epitaxy of ZnTe(100) and CdZnTe(100)/ZnTe(100) has been observed for growth on Si(100) substrates misoriented from 0-8 degrees towards the [011] direction. With ZnTe initiation layers, high quality CdZnTe(100) films have been demonstrated on both 4° and 8° misoriented Si(100) with x-ray rocking curve FWHM as narrow as 158 arc-seconds, which is comparable to that obtained with GaAs/Si composite substrates. The observed surface morphologies are superior to those obtained on GaAs/Si composite substrates. HgCdTe(100) films with x-ray FWHM as low as 55 arcseconds and average etch pit densities of 5 x 106 cm2 have been deposited by liquid phase epitaxy on these MBE CdZnTe/ZnTe/Si(100) substrates. On vicinal Si(1 12) substrates, ZnTe films are observed to nucleate in either the (1 12) or its twin (552) orientation depending on the misorientation of the Si substrate away from (1 12). For Si(1 12) misorientations of 5° or 10° towards from the [1 1-1] direction, ZnTe nucleates in a parallel (1 12) orientation, while for misorientations of 0° or 5° away from the [1 1-1] direction, ZnTe is observed to nucleate in a (552) orientation. CdTe deposited on ZnTe/Si(112) is observed to nucleate in the same orientation as the ZnTe. CdTe(552) epilayers are of substantially higher quality than (1 12)oriented films. X-ray rocking curves as narrow as 1 10 arc-seconds have been observed for the CdTe(331) reflection in the case of (552)-oriented epitaxy.

Large-area HgCdTe 480×640 thermal-expansion-matched hybrid focal plane arrays were achieved by substituting metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD)-grown CdZnTe/GaAs/Si alternative substrate in place of bulk CdZnTe substrates for the growth of HgCdTe p-on-n double-layer heterojunctions by controllably-doped mercury-melt liquid phase epitaxy (LPE). (100) CdZnTe was grown by MOCVD on GaAs/Si using a vertical-flow high-speed rotating disk reactor which incorporates up to three two-inch diameter substrates. Layers having specular surface morphology, good crystalline structure, and surface macro defect densities <50 cm−2 are routinely achieved and both the composition uniformity and run-to-run reproducibility were very good. As the composition of the CdZnTe layers increases, the x-ray full width at half maximum (FWHM) increases; this is a characteristic of CdZnTe grown by VPE techniques and is apparently associated with phase separation. Despite a broader x-ray FWHM for the fernary CdZnTe, the FWHM of HgCdTe grown by LPE on these substrates decreases, particularly for [ZnTe] compositions near the lattice matching condition to HgCdTe. An additional benefit of the ternary CdZnTe is an improved surface morphology of the HgCdTe layers. Using these silicon-based substrates, we have demonstrated 78K high-performance LWIR HgCdTe 480×640 arrays and find that their performance is comparable to similar arrays fabricated on bulk CdZnTe substrates for temperatures exceeding approximately 78K. The performance at lower temperatures is apparently limited by the dislocation density which is typically in the low-mid 106 cm−2 range for these heteroepitaxial materials.

Epitaxial layers of CdTe were grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition on surfaces of single crystal, {100} GaAs which had been ground, polished, and etched to a spherically shaped done. This dome-shaped surface allowed the morphological and structural properties of the epitaxial CdTe layers to be determined for all 360° of azimuth and up to 15° of polar angle from the [100] axis within a single growth experiment. At two growth temperatures, approximately 275 and 375°C, the results show distinct twofold rotational symmetry in both morphology and crystal perfection as determined by x-ray rocking curve measurement. Surface morphology is superior at azimuths near tilts toward the <111>A pole. Four-sided pyramidal hillocks appear at other azimuths and at 0° tilt; the symmetry of the hillocks diminishes as the tilt increases. The orientations for growth which simultaneously minimize the surface defects and rocking curve full-width half-maximum appear to be at locations on the surface where the surface normal is tilted 3–4° toward the <111>A or <111>B, depending on the temperature regime chosen. Epitaxial layers grown on planar wafers of {100}GaAs tilted toward <111>Ga and <111>As show surface morphology essentially identical to the dome at these orientations. The surface morphology of CdTe growth on GaAs/Si wafers suggests that these layers are tilted toward the <111>B.

High-energy photon detectors have been constructed by engineering and fabricating p-i-n diode structures consisting of bulk CdZnTe and epitaxial HgCdTe. The p-i-n structure was obtained by liquid-phase epitaxial growth of p and n doped HgCdTe layers on ''intrinsic'' CdZnTe material about 1mm thick and approximately 25mm square. Curve tracing shows I-V curves with diode characteristics having resistivity above 10(11) OMEGA-cm and leakage current of <400 pA to about -60V reverse bias on a typical test piece approximately 5x8x1 mm. Spectra of similar test pieces have been obtained at room temperature with various nuclear isotopic sources over the range of 22 keV to 662 keV which show exceptionally high energy resolution. Resolution as good as 1.82% FWHM was obtained for the 356 keV line of Ba-133 with a P/V=3.4.The performance of these detectors combined with contemporary infrared technology capable of fabricating 2D arrays of these II-VI materials opens up manifold exciting applications in astrophysics, medical, industrial, environmental, and defense spectroscopy and imaging.

Scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and selected-area electron diffraction analyses have indicated that there are three types of hillocks on the surfaces of single-crystal, epitaxial {100} Cd1−yZnyTe grown on {100} GaAs: large, polycrystalline, irregularly shaped particulates, loosely bound to the surface; large ‘‘hillocks’’ approaching regular polygonal shape; and small, regular, four-sided pyramids with planar surfaces making very low angles to the layer surface. Both the large particulates and hillocks appear to have their etiology in precipitation from the gas-phase or reactor wall nucleation, with subsequent nucleation of twins in the growing layer in the case of the large, polygonal hillocks. The small, pyramidal hillocks evidently are single crystal material with geometries dependent upon the crystallographic orientation of the original substrate surface.

Strained Ga1−xInxSb/InAs superlattices exhibiting a high degree of structural perfection have been grown on GaSb substrates. The superlattices display ideal, defect-free structure, to within the resolution limits of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high-resolution x-ray diffraction. Cross-sectional micrographs reveal the layers to be highly planar, regular, and coherently strained to the GaSb substrates. No crystalline defects were observable by TEM, despite an internal lattice mismatch of almost 2%. Planarity of the layers is confirmed by the presence of Pendellösung fringes in high-resolution x-ray diffraction, while the observation of numerous sharp satellite peaks indicates little or no interdiffusion within the superlattices. Observed x-ray diffraction is closely fit by simulations based on a kinematical model which accounts properly for the highly strained interfaces and absence of strict translational symmetry in the superlattice growth direction. Based on this fit, an InSb-rich character is assigned to the interfaces, yielding superlattice layer thicknesses and compositions that are in quantitative agreement with those derived from independent growth rate calibrations.

The structural properties of LPE-grown HgCdTe on heteroepitaxial MOCVD-grown CdZnTe/GaAs/Si substrates were evaluated using high-resolution x-ray diffraction techniques and TEM. Large tilts (to 4°) between CdZnTe layers and GaAs/Si substrates are a general characteristic of this heteroepitaxial system and are are attributed to the interaction of closely spaced misfit dislocations that arrange to form a tilt boundary. Either {112}CdTe or {552}CdTe can be grown on {112}GaAs/Si; the {552} was shown to result from a first-order twinning operation of {112}. Lamnella {111} microtwins in {111}CdZnTe/{100}GaAs/Si substrates, measured by x-ray techniques, are not readily propagated into the LPE-grown HgCdTe layer. The x-ray FWHM of the LPE HgCdTe is typically at least a factor of two lower than that of the Si-based substrate from annealing and due to the increased thickness of the layer; both mechanisms promote dislocation interaction and annihilation. High performance MWIR and LWIR HgCdTe 128×128 hybrid focal plane arrays were fabricated on these Si-based substrates. An array average of ROAj = 17.8 ohmcm2 for a cutoff wavelength of 10.8 μm at 78K was demonstrated.