HgCdTe Avalanche Photodiode Array Detectors with Single Photon Sensitivity and Integrated Detector Cooler Assemblies for Space Lidar Applications

Sun, Xiaoli ; Abshire, James B ; Krainak, Michael A ; Lu, Wei ; Beck, Jeff D ; III, William W Sullivan ; Mitra, Pradip ; Rawlings, Dick M ; Fields, Renny A ; Hinkley, David A(Aerospace Corp, El Segundo, CA, United States)

关键词: ABSORPTION SPECTRA;    AEROSPACE ENVIRONMENTS;    BACKSCATTERING;    COMPRESSED GAS;    CRYOGENIC COOLING;    DYNAMIC RANGE;    ELECTRO-OPTICS;    ENVIRONMENTAL TESTS;    EXTRATERRESTRIAL RADIATION;    FOCAL PLANE DEVICES;    INFRARED RADAR;    MERCURY CADMIUM TELLURIDES;    OPTICAL RADAR;    PHOTONS;    STIRLING CYCLE;    TECHNOLOGY UTILIZATION;    THERMAL VACUUM TESTS;   

RP-ID  :  GSFC-E-DAA-TN74136

学科分类：空间科学

美国|英语

来源: NASA Technical Reports Server

【 摘 要 】

A HgCdTe avalanche photodiode (APD) focal plane array assembly with linear mode photon-counting capability has been developed for space lidar applications. An integrated detector cooler assembly (IDCA) has been built using a miniature Stirling cooler. A microlens array has been included to improve the fill factor. The HgCdTe APD has a spectral response from 0.9- to 4.3-μm wavelengths, a photon detection efficiency as high as 70%, and a dark count rate of <250 kHz at 110 K. The mass of the IDCA is 0.8 kg and the total electrical power consumption is about 7 W. The HgCdTe APD arrays have been characterized at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. A series of environmental tests have been conducted for the IDCAs, including vibration, thermal cycling, and thermal vacuum tests. A description of the device and the test results at NASA are given in this paper.