FAR-INFRARED HIGH-PERFORMANCE LEAD TELLURIDE-BASED PHOTODETECTORS FORSPACE-BORN APPLICATIONS

A new class of far-infrared photodetectors based on lead-tin telluride s doped with group III impurities is presented. The persistent photoco nductivity effect appearing in these materials provides an internal si gnal integration resulting in a considerable increase in signal-to-noi se ratio. The techniques of the photomemory quenching are discussed. I n some quenching regimes the effect of giant quantum efficiency stimul ation has been observed. The possibility of the generation of photoind uced spatially non-equilibrium states provides the physical evidence f or the construction of an integrating ''continuous'' focal-plane array based on Pb1-xSnxTe(In).