Abstract

A theory of generation–recombination noise is presented and applied to the analysis of the performance limitations of extrinsic photoconductive detectors. The theory takes account both of the photoinduced generation of carriers and of thermal generation that is due to the finite temperature of the detector. Explicit formulas are derived that relate the detector response time, responsivity, and noise equivalent power to the material properties of the photo-conductor (such as the presence of compensating impurities) and to the detector’s operating conditions, such as its temperature and the presence of background radiation. The detector’s performance is shown to degrade at high background levels because of saturation effects.

© 1984 Optical Society of America

Extrinsic Detectors

Henry Levinstein
Appl. Opt. 4(6) 639-647 (1965)

Wideband Optical Heterodyne Performance of Extrinsic Photoconductive Infrared Radiation Detectors

S. L. Kurtin, G. S. Picus, and C. J. Buczek
Appl. Opt. 9(8) 1848-1853 (1970)

A Rocket-Borne Liquid Helium-Cooled Infrared Telescope. II: Photoconductive Detectors

P. D. Feldman and D. P. McNutt
Appl. Opt. 8(11) 2205-2210 (1969)

Noise Limitations in Solid State Photodetectors

K. M. van Vliet
Appl. Opt. 6(7) 1145-1169 (1967)

Cooled Photoconductive Infrared Detectors*

Werner Beyen, Peter Bratt, Howard Davis, Leo Johnson, Henry Levinstein, and Alfred MacRae
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 49(7) 686-692 (1959)