3D simulation of detector parameters for backside illuminated InSb 2D arrays

Accurate and reliable numerical simulation tools are necessary for the development of advanced semiconductor devices. SCD is using the Silvaco Atlas simulation tool to simultaneously solve the Poisson, Continuity and transport equations for 3D detector structures. In this work we describe a set of systematic experiments performed in order to calibrate the Atlas simulation to SCD's backside illuminated InSb focal plane arrays (FPA) realized with planar technology. From these experiments we extract physical parameters such as diffusion length, surface recombination velocity, and SRH lifetime. The actual and predicted performance (e.g. dark-current and MTF) of present and future detectors is presented. We have studied arrays with pitch in the range of 15 to 30 μm. We find that the MTF width is inversely proportional to the pitch. Thus, the spatial resolution of the detector improves with decreasing pixel size as expected. Using the Atlas simulation we predict the performance of planar InSb arrays with smaller pixel dimensions, e.g., 12 and 10 μm.