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ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS ON MCT'S ADVANTAGES AS AN INFRARED IMAGING MATERIAL

Leonardo DRS, Electro-Optical & Infrared Systems Leonardo DRS, Electro-Optical & Infrared Systems White Paper Answers to Questions on MCT'S ADVANTAGES AS AN INFRARED MATERIAL – Leonardo DRS, Electro-Optical & Infrared Systems

Cooled infrared imaging is in many only Leonardo DRS but also Raytheon, Answers to Questions on MCT’s ways a mature technology, with Teledyne, SOFRADIR, SELEX Galileo, its architectures well-defined and AIM and SCD, continue investing Advantages as an Infrared Imaging its past and present applications in MCT’s present reality and future Material well-understood. Nevertheless, potential. Q1. What advantages can we expect opportunities abound for: DRS has been at the forefront of this from DRS MCT? • Improving range and resolution effort for many years. As a world DRS’ Mercury Cadmium Telluride while reducing cost, device size, leader in electro-optical infrared (EO/ (MCT), also known as HgCdTe, weight and power (SWaP). IR) imaging for military applications, provides three overriding we have a proud history of meeting advantages as an infrared • Expanding IR imaging’s our Warfighters’ mission- critical IR imaging material. applications for users in the military, imaging needs in even the harshest First and most important is homeland security and commercial environments. And we have fielded its ability to deliver optimal well over 100,000 DRS EO/IR systems realms. performance at higher operating on all major ground-vehicle, airborne Perhaps no other variable is as temperatures than InSb, for and maritime platforms – including important to this equation as the size, weight and power (SWaP) more than 70,000 MCT-based devices. detector material itself. Today, many reductions and improved thermal users, industry leaders and scientists DRS can arguably take much of the management. agree that the best semiconductor credit for making MCT affordable, Second, it takes advantage of the material for capitalizing on these for resolving its early performance industry’s smallest pixels, leading opportunities is Mercury Cadmium and fabrication challenges, and to proportionate increases in Telluride (MCT), or HgCdTe. The for demonstrating its across-the- range, reductions in optics primary reasons: board superiority over other detector materials. size, or improvements in spatial • MCT is proven, reliable, and readily resolution – or a combination of available. In this document, we’ll answer the these advantages, tailored to the most commonly asked questions about application. • Its cost is now highly competitive DRS MCT’s key attributes, advantages with common indium antimonide and limitations. If we can answer And lastly, it provides access to (InSb). any more for you, please contact us such emerging applications as active and passive shortwave • It offers users significant soon. You can reach us by calling 1-888.230.2372, by emailing sales@ infrared (SWIR), two-color, 3D advantages over InSb in terms drsinfrared.com, or by visiting us at and active imaging, as well as of range, resolution, device size, www.drsinfrared.com. the possibility of cooled handheld weight and power requirements – in MWIR devices to make superb short, the best performance-to-cost image quality truly portable. value. Q2. Why did DRS choose MCT over • It is already demonstrating its utility InSb? for advanced applications such as Indium antimonide (InSb) is one of several focal plane array two-color and active imaging and (FPA) materials for infrared shows promise for SWIR imaging. imaging. However, because of These are among the reasons that its limitations, scientists have so many major players, including not continued advancing other FPA materials. MCT is arguably the 2 Leonardo DRS, Electro-Optical & Infrared Systems White Paper

most important of these materials. Temperature Infrared (HOT-IR™) of MCT has reduced its price to MCT detector technology, which levels comparable to InSb’s. The scientists at Texas can perform at significantly Instruments (TI) who developed Until recently, MCT detectors had elevated temperatures to first-generation IR devices have a slightly higher percentage of minimize these trade- offs. been among the leaders in this “dead” pixels, which could impact effort. They anticipated game- Five years in the making, the quality of the infrared image. changing advantages from MCT, HOT-IR™ means that the detector The seriousness of this issue in large part because it’s the only does not need to be cooled may have been exaggerated; known material that can detect IR down to 77°K. Instead, HOT-IR™ the actual operability difference radiation in all three atmospheric delivers superior performance at between MCT and InSb was windows – shortwave (1.5-1.8 temperatures well above 110°K always under 0.1%. Nevertheless, and 2.2-2.4 micron), midwave resulting in significantly less MCT’s operability is now at 99.5% (3-5 micron) and longwave (8-14 power required. -- equal to or better than InSb. micron). While the precise operating DRS continues to set new Recognizing this unique temperature is company- performance standards for MCT characteristic, TI made confidential, we can say that with such developments as these: major investments in MCT’s our HOT-IR detectors use development over the years, even smaller coolers and consume • Vertically Integrated as the organization underwent less power. And that adds up to Photodiode (VIP) and High various divestitures and substantial reductions in size, Density VIP (HDVIP™) focal- acquisitions to ultimately become power requirements, and cooler- plane array architectures for a part of Leonardo DRS. DRS has generated heat, as well as a mono- and multi-color next- continued this investment. tripling of cooler life – from under generation systems 10,000 hours to 30,000 hours or Today, this pioneering work is more. • Very small-pitch, high-density paying off. DRS scientists have formats overcome MCT’s initial cost and Q4. Why should we consider operability disadvantages, letting choosing MCT over InSb or • Ultra-high operating its advantages take center stage. other technologies? temperatures Many in the industry now consider For years, there have been • Active/passive FPAs providing MCT the preferred material for drawbacks associated with noiseless gain cooled IR imaging applications. MCT, mainly in terms of power consumption, relatively high cost • Very large-area FPAs Q3. How high an operating temperature can MCT and occasionally inconsistent Other materials have emerged, accommodate? performance. DRS was able including Quantum Well Infrared to overcome these challenges Photoconductor (QWIP) and MCT requires cryogenic and is setting new performance such nanotechnology products cooling in order to minimize standards for MCT. as Quantum Dot Infrared Photo- the background noise from the detectors (QDIPs). However, “dark current” produced in the DRS’ HOT-IR MCT detectors their performance at comparable detector material itself – and require as little as one-third the temperatures can’t match MCT’s, therefore to achieve the ultra-high power needed by comparable and DRS is convinced that MCT performance needed for today’s InSb devices. For example, will remain the most effective and military and security applications. the power consumption of our cost-efficient solution for cooled 12-micron HOT-IR MWIR camera Cooling has a cost, of course, in infrared imaging. is just 7.5 watts steady-state. terms of size, weight and power Compare this to the 15 to 25 watts Unlike most other detector (SWaP), heat generation, and of steady-state power required suppliers, DRS enjoys complete potential cryogenic reliability by coolers for equivalent InSb control over the entire process, concerns. As lower temperatures cameras. from growing our own CZT are required and cooling substrate material to assembling requirements increase, larger The high cost of MCT was the detector/cooler package. coolers are needed, resulting in primarily the result of challenges Because we focus on optimizing greater power requirements. with composition control and a single material, we’re able to low yields. With technological However, DRS has developed deliver world-class results. advances, DRS’ high throughput extraordinary High Operating 3 Leonardo DRS, Electro-Optical & Infrared Systems White Paper

As a result, DRS has succeeded (FOV) and 20% increase in the Its shorter wavelengths allow in overcoming challenges and magnification of the most distant sharper image quality and/or a expanding the capabilities of scenes you can capture. smaller optical aperture to reduce MCT to produce environmentally SWaP, especially advantageous Resolution and range responsible products of in applications such as airborne. improvements are especially the highest quality, at costs important in military applications. In high humidity applications such comparable to InSb’s. Higher resolution helps our troops as in marine/littoral environments, Q5. Why have you gone to identify a threat when it’s farther MWIR contrast remains high 12-micron pitch? away, giving them more time for greater ranges than LWIR. Among the most important to respond appropriately and Airborne sightlines avoid much of traits of DRS’ approach to FPAs effectively. And a longer range the MWIR blurring that is present is its ability to accommodate can make it easier for them to in the turbulent layer near the smaller pixels than InSb. DRS is operate while staying out of ground. harm’s way. producing MCT detectors with Q9. Do you have product in the field a 12-micron pitch, and smaller Q7. How can MCT help us on the offering these capabilities? pitches are under development. Dirty Battlefield? We’ve been fielding a range InSb, on the other hand, is After the first shot is fired, of MCT-based scanning and currently limited to 15-microns. the pristine battlefield rapidly staring product s for many years A 3-micron reduction represents becomes the Dirty Battlefield. – including key components for a 20% reduction in pixel size. Maneuvering forces raise such leading-edge systems as Multiplied out over the 640 pixels dust, burning wrecks “bloom” these: in a focal plane array, it makes a excessively, masking smokes substantial difference. arise either intentionally or • The Arrowhead MTADS/PNVS incidentally to the engagement. system used in Apache attack Smaller pixels mean a smaller And the shorter the IR wavelength helicopters (LWIR) package. As the number of being used, the worse the utility of pixels is reduced, the focal plane • The Phalanx CIWS shipboard the resulting images. array is smaller and the size of defense system (LWIR) the optics is reduced. When Because it can’t image • The IBAS target acquisition we combine these reductions wavelengths longer than 5 system used in Bradley with the smaller cooler made microns, InSb’s value on the possible by HOT-IR MCT, we can Dirty Battlefield is limited. Fighting Vehicles (LWIR) achieve valuable reductions in Other detector materials, such • DIRCM countermeasure the size and weight of the overall as Quantum Well Infrared sensors for protecting military package. Photoconductors (QWIP), may aircraft (MWIR) operate at longer wavelengths, Q6. Can smaller pitch improve but at the cost of sensitivity or • The LRAS3 Long Range range or resolution? excessive cryogenic demands. Advanced Scout Surveillance It can improve both. But DRS MCT is well-suited for System (LWIR) Smaller pixels can most directly the Dirty Battlefield. It’s the only What’s more, we recently improve spatial resolution – i.e., practical detector material that introduced the first midwave the smallest possible scene can image in the LWIR band, to production camera to use our feature that can be accurately minimize the effects of battlefield 12-micron HOT-IR technology. discerned in an image. Again obscurants and artifacts. Add to We’ve also introduced a looking to the previous 12- vs.-15- this equation the higher resolution surveillance system incorporating micron discussion, if we maintain made possible with our smaller this camera – the new, high- FPA size and optics field-of-view, pixels, and it’s clear that DRS performance Jalapeno LR+ we can increase the number of MCT makes the best out of tough system for military, homeland pixels by 20%, thereby enhancing situations. security and commercial fine image detail. applications. Q8. So when would a MWIR Alternatively, the smaller pitch can detector be advantageous? Sensing in the 3-to-5 micron be applied to seeing over greater band with the inherent If your requirements are not distances. It’s a simple geometric advantage of higher operating on the Dirty Battlefield, MWIR issue: A 20% smaller pitch will temperatures, this exclusive operation can be very attractive. allow a 20% narrower field-of-view DRS MCT technology delivers 4 Leonardo DRS, Electro-Optical & Infrared Systems White Paper

an unprecedented combination Q11. How can MCT contribute to and cryogenic cooler with a of small size, light weight, ultra- active imaging? layered, MCT-based detector. low power requirements, and In active imaging, the system The resulting system gets the job low cost. And with an expected floods the scene of interest with done at less than half the cost 30,000-hour cooler life to extend eye-safe bursts of photons, and SWaP of earlier approaches service intervals in any operating then enables the detector – which will soon enable this environment, its reliability is to “see” energy only at the technology to move out of the lab unsurpassed. moment that reflections from and into the field. the laser-illuminated target are These products are the first in Q13. Are cooled detectors for a new generation that promises expected. Confusing reflections handheld devices a possibility? to leapfrog currently available from the target foreground and background are ignored because Today’s Warfighter is weighed systems in all key performance down with equipment as he categories – including resolution, they arrive too early or too late, and the resulting images contain enters the battlefield. The range, reliability and both initial importance of reducing every and lifecycle costs. only the high-contrast target information. ounce he carries cannot be Q10. Will MCT be useful for overemphasized. MCT may be the detector material shortwave infrared (SWIR) DRS’ HOT-IR MCT can make a imaging? best suited for this capability, because of its inherent ability to major contribution. Because it Definitely. We’re already working produce clear, sharp images. uses much smaller coolers and on it. Add active imaging technology significantly less power, it may As you probably know, SWIR to the picture, and you’ll be able be just the breakthrough that imaging is capable of generating to see threats that are not visible will put man-portable cooled IR more detailed information than with conventional IR imaging – technology in the hands of the its midwave and longwave including enemy vehicles hidden Warfighter. counterparts. And MCT can be in dense shrubbery. Q14. How will this material impact used to great advantage in this This technology also promises to the bottom line? waveband. be useful for routine surveillance DRS’ MCT detectors can save For instance, when there is activities. It will allow users users money in several ways. minimal background illumination, to conduct surveillance with First, its smaller pitch means MCT can be operated as an conventional, passive-mode IR the entire package can shrink Avalanche Photodiode Detector – and then, if a potential threat proportionately – including the (APD), to make the best possible is detected, to switch instantly optics. This in turn drives down use of limited scene photons. to active-mode gated EO/IR for the initial costs and purchase highly detailed imaging of the MCT can also be applied to price. suspicious object. active SWIR imaging using a Second, the higher operating laser illuminator (see Q11). The Q12. Is DRS working on multicolor temperatures made possible detector materials currently imaging? by our HOT-IR technology applied to this task become Multicolor imaging is attractive mean major reductions in degraded with use and so because it allows the best power consumed. For some have very limited lifetimes. But features of each waveband to applications, these savings can SWIR MCT is not subject to be exploited. But until recently, be substantial. such degradation, which means multicolor systems needed Third, our higher operating its lifetime is unlimited. And it separate detectors, cryogenic temperatures also extend cooler requires minimal or no cooling in coolers and optical paths for each life, for dramatic reductions in active mode. band being imaged. And that repair and replacement costs meant bulky and very expensive These traits may also make DRS as well as in downtime. That’s solutions. MCT ideal for SWIR 3D imaging not an insignificant factor when – a promising technique for With its unique ability to cover all you consider that coolers – the exposing and revealing previously wavelengths from SWIR to LWIR, weakest link in any cooled-IR indistinguishable features in MCT may be the only solution for imaging chain – cost anywhere hidden targets. affordable multicolor imaging. from $3,000 to $10,000 each. DRS has made it practical to combine a single optical path 5 Leonardo DRS, Electro-Optical & Infrared Systems White Paper

To put numbers to it, a typical we’ve been able to bring MCT’s Finally, we have underway InSb-based system cooler is cost down. aggressive Research & generally rated at 8,000 to 10,000 Development programs involving Our control over this process also hours. But DRS has demonstrated our HOT-IR MCT. Since much of helps us produce MCT of the 30,000 hours of cooler operation this work requires fine-tuning the very highest quality. For instance, with HOT-IR™ MCT-based alloy itself, having this process we’re free to use a fabrication systems. Three times the reliability close at hand helps us pinpoint technique that eliminates thermal and operational life may not the optimum values to use in cycling. We’re also free to test matter for equipment that’s used future products. competing hybridization schemes only occasionally. to determine, for example, which For more information on DRS But for equipment that is used enables the smallest pixels. HOT-IR MCT infrared imaging frequently or constantly, it (The answer: LPE-HDVIP, which technology and systems, contact can have a major impact on a samples both interfaces.) us at 1-888.230.2372 or sales@ system’s lifecycle costs. drsinfrared.com. And in the rare instance that an Q15. What’s the significance of your application requires a larger size growing your own raw MCT? FPA than can be produced with The fact that we grow our own this technique, we have ready MCT – technically speaking, MCT access to MCT produced via LPE (liquid phase epitaxy) HDVIP vapor-phase growth techniques – is important to our customers for by our sister company, SELEX. three reasons: cost, quality and As a result, we can say with R&D. confidence that our MCT material Because we grow it ourselves, delivers consistently excellent along with the CZT substrate performance and dramatic MTBF on which it’s formed, we’re not improvements across applications dealing with anyone else’s mark- and operating environments. ups or profits. That’s one reason

About Leonardo DRS Electro-Optical & Infrared Systems Loeonardo DRS is a leading supplier of integrated products, services and support to defense and commercial partners along with prime contractors worldwide. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Leonardo S.p.A, which employs approximately 47,000 people worldwide. Leonardo DRS Electro-Optical & Infrared Systems line of advanced sensors and solutions is developed and manufactured in Dallas, Tex. and Melbourne, Fla. Tamarisk® Thermal Camera Cores • 17 µm pixel pitch technology • Resolutions of 320 x 240 and 640 x 480 • Analog and digital video outputs • Integrated shutter for flat field correction • Image Contrast Enhancement (ICE™) Tamarisk® Precision Series Radiometric • Dynamic Range (-40°C to +550°C) • Temperature isotherms with up to 8 regions and user defined color parameters • Tool Box design environment provides flexibility • Image Contrast Enhancement (ICE™)

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