GaAsP Photo-cathode process improvement Navy SBIR FY2006.3 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2006.3 Topic No.: N06-166 Topic Title: GaAsP Photo-cathode process improvement Proposal No.: N063-166-0036 Firm: Intevac, Inc. Photonics Technology Division 3560 Bassett Street Santa Clara, California 95054-2704 Contact: Ross LaRue Phone: (408) 496-2254 Web Site: www.intevac.com Abstract: Intevac has been manufacturing high performance III-V semiconductor photocathode-based electron bombarded sensors for low light level imaging and photon detection for over fifteen years. The focus has been long-range target identification at 1.5 microns, light detection and ranging at 1.06 microns, and VIS-NIR night vision systems. Intevac's wide range of sensors and detector products have been optimized for these applications using high quantum efficiency (QE) gallium arsenide (GaAs) and indium gallium arsenide/indium phosphide (InGaAs/InP) photocathodes. Intevac has invested heavily in transitioning its core photocathode manufacturing processes from single-wafer, metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) development tools to state-of-the-art, multi-wafer MOCVD production tools for high volume, low cost manufacturing. Several high priority Navy programs require the use of detectors and sensors with high performance in the blue-green portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. These devices have typically been manufactured using gallium arsenide phosphide (GaAsP) photocathodes in order to achieve optimum QE in the blue-green wave-band. Historically, Intevac's MOCVD development tools have not been able to produce GaAsP photocathodes with stable QE and wafer yield. The purpose of this SBIR is to develop a process to consistently produce high yield, high QE GaAsP photocathodes using Intevac's state-of-the-art MOCVD production tools. Benefits: All photo-sensing imaging devices which incorporate a photocathode for high performance in the visible spectrum would greatly benefit from the availability of a high yield (low cost), high QE photocathode. Low light levels sensor, cameras and detectors would particularly benefit from the use of a GaAsP or GaAs photocathode-based device with >40% QE and low dark current I the blue-green wave-band, thereby extending their application into such markets as underwater imaging and object detection. Return