US Government As Represented by the Secretary of the Army

Fermionics Corporation

Muren Chu

Cheng-Chi Wang

Yet-Zen Liu

HgCdTe semiconductor material having an n-type epitaxial layer is grown on a substrate. A graded p-type epitaxial layer is grown on the n-type layer. The p-type layer is graded such that the large bandgap region is adjacent the heterojunction with the narrow bandgap region at the surface of this layer. The periphery of the p-type layer is then etched to expose the large bandgap material. A HgCdTe passivation layer may then be formed on the p-type layer. A resultant structure is then mesa etched. A metal, such as indium, is formed along the walls of the mesa structure. Indium is selected to form a good ohmic contact with the n-type layer and a Schottky barrier with the large bandgap exposed edge of the p-type layer. In this way, the PN junction is passivated at the large bandgap material. The remaining narrow bandgap material in the p-type will form a good ohmic contact to a metal contact formed on this layer.

Method of making an infrared detector

Disclosed is a method of growing a layer of CdTe on HgCdTe by liquid phase epitaxy. The solution for growth comprises Sn and Hg with a small amount of CdTe. A typical composition is Sn:Hg:CdTe=36:5:0.15 parts by weight. The growth temperature is a function of the amount of CdTe in solution. For the typical composition stated, the growth temperature is about 520.degree. C. The layers were grown on (111)A oriented CdTe substrates. The HgCdTe epilayer with a desired Cd composition is first grown, and an epilayer of CdTe is subsequently grown on the HgCdTe epilayer. The cross-diffusion at the CdTe/Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te interface has been as small as 0.3 .mu.m for the thin CdTe epilayer. The first CdTe/HgCdTe heterojunction sensitive to .about.2.8 .mu.m at 77K has been demonstrated.

Method for growing an epitaxial layer of CdTe on an epitaxial layer of

Disclosed is a method of growing a layer of CdTe on HgCdTe by liquid phase pitaxy. The solution for growth comprises Sn and Hg with a small amount of CdTe. A typical composition is Sn:Hg:CdTe=36:5:0.15 parts by weight. The growth temperature is a function of the amount of CdTe in solution. For the typical composition stated, the growth temperature is about 520.degree. C. The layers were grown on (111)A oriented CdTe substrates. The HgCdTe epilayer with a desired Cd composition is first grown, and an epilayer of CdTe is subsequently grown on the HgCdTe epilayer. The cross-diffusion at the CdTe/Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te interface has been as small as 0.3 .mu.m for the thin CdTe epilayer. The first CdTe/HgCdTe heterojunction sensitive to .about.2.8 .mu.m at 77.degree. K. has been demonstrated.

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Thousand Oaks, CA, United States of America

Muren Chu