Ian Baker

TL;DR: The SELEX detector as discussed by the authors is a solid state detector based on an array of HgCdTe avalanche photodiodes and a custom-designed CMOS multiplexer.

TL;DR: In this article, the performance of the current high speed near infrared HgCdTe sensors operating in fringe trackers, wavefront sensors and tip-tilt sensors is severely limited by the noise of the silicon readout interface circuit (ROIC), even if state-of-the-art CMOS designs are used.

Abstract: We measure the ability of the Leonardo Selex Advanced Photodiode HgCdTe Infrared Array (SAPHIRA) avalanche photodiode array to perform photon counting. The current SAPHIRA arrays achieve >90% single-photon efficiency (independent of quantum efficiency expected to be also >90%) and a time resolution of 125 μs with a dark current of 21e− s−1 pix−1. Our characterization of several iterations of the SAPHIRA detector over the past 3 years of its development have also revealed a broader pulse height distribution than was originally expected.

TL;DR: In this article, the authors describe a generic focal plane technology which has been developed to serve a range of second generation infrared system applications in the UK and Europe, and describe the technical directions chosen for the LPE growth process and the hybrid fabrication process to produce the highest performance after multiplexing.