天基红外技术对于远程弹道导弹防御具有重要作用。当飞来的导弹位于地球阴影区域时，作为背阳的结果，空间温度很低，导弹呈现为一个微弱的冷目标，峰值波长在甚长波红外（VLWIR，大于 14 μm）波段，这时就需要 VLWIR探测器。VLWIR对于大面阵碲镉汞焦平面（FPA）器件的设计来说是一种非常具有挑战性的波段。它要求高均匀性、低缺陷率、高量子效率、低暗电流和低噪声。主要通过对近年来刊发的部分有关英语文献资料的归纳分析，介绍了有关 VLWIR/MCT技术的发展状况，其中一个发展趋势是从 n-on-p空位掺杂器件结构转向非本征掺杂 p-on-n器件结构。

Space-based infrared technology is important to long range ballistic missile defense. When incoming missile is located in the shadow of the earth, as the result of against the sun, the space temperature is very low and the missile is a faint and cold target with its peak wavelength extending into the very long wavelength infrared (VLWIR, greater than 14μm) spectral range, so VLWIR detector is required. The VLWIR is a very challenging range for the design of large mercury cadmium telluride (MCT) focal plane arrays. High homogeneity, low defect rate, high quantum efficiency, low dark current and low noise are required. In this paper, mainly by summarizing and analyzing some related references published in English in recent years, an overview of the developments concerning VLWIR/MCT technology was presented. One of evolutions is moving from an n-on-p vacancy doped device architecture to an extrinsically doped p-on-n device architecture.