Abstract:
InSb crystal is one of typical infrared sensing materials for fabricating photonic InSb detector used in the mid-wavelength infrared spectral range between 3-5 μm. InSb infrared detector has been featured by excellent performance, capable for making large-scale arrays, high sensing stability and relative low costs. It has been widely used in military and high-end civilian infrared system. Nevertheless, some InSb coherent shortcomings, such as responding spectral range nonadjustability, long-wavelength infrared spectrum range undetectability, and relative low photo-generated carrier lifetime which limites high operating temperature performance of the detector, makes the InSb detector inefficient in engineering application. In this paper, it is systemically introduced the novel InSb-based materials developed for the purpose of improving the coherent features of InSb material. Those materials include complex alloy and low-dimensional quantum structural material based on InSb compound. For complex InSb-based semiconductor alloy material, phase diagram, relation between energy band gap and alloy composition, energy band gap variation with temperature were presented. Also typical infrared sensing performance of the detector with the novel alloy material was presented. For low-dimensional quantum InSb material, fabrication of the structure, relation between energy band gap and quantum structure size, and typical infrared photo-response of the prototype detector were presented. The tendency of the novel InSb-based infrared sensing material and its developing focus were discussed at the end.