Published online by Cambridge University Press: 25 February 2011
The intrinsic semiconductor mercury cadmium telluride (Hg1−xCdxTe), a solid solution of HgTe and CdTe, has assumed an ever increasing role in the fabrication of infrared (IR) detectors because its energy gap (0-1.5 eV) can be tailored to match the specific needs of IR detection and fiber optic systems. In photovoltaic focal plane array (FPA) applications, low power consumption, as well as excellent sensitivity at elevated temperatures, have made Hg1−xCdxTe the material of choice for both the midwave IR (MWIR) and longwave IR (LWIR) region.