Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: ABSTRACT Colloidal nanomaterials are now a cost‐effective strategy for the design of infrared imagers. Their increased maturity brings them to the point where the evaluation of their potential for space and astronomy applications becomes relevant. The first step is to test their robustness against irradiation, since this process is responsible for the performance degradation of most imagers. In this study, we explore the potential of HgTe nanocrystals for short‐wave infrared sensing under X‐ray and He + ion irradiation. To first assess the degradation of the material itself, we test the evolution of a single‐pixel photoconductive device upon irradiation and observe that only marginal degradation occurs for doses relevant to space applications, and degradation only occurs at a very high threshold, making this colloidal semiconductor quite promising to operate in harsh radiation environments. Complementary spectroscopic studies reveal very different degradation mechanisms upon X‐ray (leading to oxidation) and He + ion (sintering particles). We tested the potential of this material in a focal plane array and observed degradation, though not preventing imaging, in a range of doses where no effect was observed for the simple photoconductive device. This suggests that the CMOS readout circuit might be the bottleneck regarding operation under radiation.
Source: Advanced Functional Materials
Authors: Alexandre Neyret, Dario Mastrippolito, Bingbing Xia, Adrien Khalili, Maxime Lebreton, Giorgia Strobbia, Albin Colle, Marco Paye, Mariarosa Cavallo, Erwan Bossavit, Claire Abadie, Yoann Prado, Debora Pierucci, Victor Parahyba, Francois Coursaget, David Darson, Emrick Briand, Ian Vickridge, Stephane Demiguel, Sebastien Massenot, Jean‐Marc Belloir, Vincent Goiffon, Emmanuel Lhuillier
Institutions: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre National d'Études Spatiales, Sorbonne Université, Institut des NanoSciences de Paris, Thales Alenia Space (France), Université de Toulouse, Université Paris Cité, Université Paris Sciences et Lettres, École Normale Supérieure - PSL, Laboratoire de Physique de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure
Language: English
Subfield: Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $5,790
Awards: G178225635, Nanocrystals-based short-wave Infrared Imaging, Mixed Dimensional Heterostructures under 2D Ferroelectric control, G3493309495, HgTe nanocrystals a new platform for THz optoelectronics, G5256542555, G5387359411, Infrared Sensors based on CQD, Photodetection in the Infrared with heavy metal-free QUANTum dots, In OPERAndo study of the electronic property modulation of 2D TWISTed hetero-bilayer, Nanobeam soft X-ray microscope to unveil solar cell energy landscape
OpenAlex ID: W7128955707