Understanding HgCdTe Detector Reliability for GOES
This report provides a focused look at the reliability of infrared detectors used on GOES spacecraft. Drawing on detector measurements, task‑force notes, and hands‑on inspections, it explains what was found and what it might mean for flight hardware.
This edition analyzes data from detector resistance and signal measurements, and it covers several possible mechanisms that could affect detector performance over time. It presents the main findings from the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s review and outlines how fabrication steps and materials might influence long‑term behavior.
- How detector contacts, passivation, and coatings could affect signal stability.
- Potential issues in wire bonding, soldering, and packaging that might influence reliability.
- Observed degradation patterns and the limits of available data to pinpoint exact causes.
Ideal for readers of government‑issued technical assessments and readers seeking concise explanations of detector reliability in space systems.