New generations of infrared detectors based on HgCdTe

The technology of very high performance cooled infrared detectors made with HgCdTe has progressed continuously for ten years and reached today an industrial maturity that allows the production of large size arrays at a more and more reasonable cost. At the same time, new prototypes of more complex sensors have appeared (megapixel arrays, multicolour arrays, high definition long linear arrays,<f> …</f>) that show the strong potentialities of this very high performance technology. This paper presents the technology developed in France and gives the state of the art of products available in industry; it then focuses on some very recent realizations of advanced prototypes made at LETI (dualband arrays, megapixel arrays,<f> …</f>). To cite this article: G. Destefanis, C. R. Physique 4 (2003). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]