集成式光读出FPA红外成像系统设计

本文对读出原理、像差要求、图谱质量进行深入研究,进而对读出技术进行深度整合与简化,实现光读出FPA红外成像系统小型化、轻量化、集成化。首先,从FPA的热-机械效应出发,介绍了光读出FPA红外成像系统的工作原理;然后,针对通常采用的光读出FPA红外成像系统体积大、重量大、结构复杂缺陷,提出了高集成度的新型光读出系统;接着,在分析讨论读出光路像差容限、特点的基础上,对以异形棱镜为核心元件的光读出系统进行了具体的光学仿真设计;最后,设计了集光、机、电、软技术的集成式光读出FPA红外成像系统。对系统样机测试结果表明:在确保成像性能的前提下,光读出FPA红外成像系统的体积减小到175 mm×83 mm×105 mm。以异形棱镜为核心元件的光读出技术,在满足成像精度和灵敏度的前提下,可减小读出系统的复杂程度,有效降低了光读出FPA红外成像系统的体积和重量,从而促进光读出FPA成像系统的工业化应用。     

双材料微梁阵列室温物体红外成像

针对近年出现的新概念光学读出双材料微梁阵列红外成像技术，提出了具有热变形放大效果的无硅基底回折腿间隔镀金的微梁单元结构,并建立了其热机械模型，在模型分析基础上，成功的设计制作了100×100像素的焦平面阵列(focal plane array,FPA).在构建的红外成像系统中，实现了对室温物体——人体的热成像，噪声等效温度差约为200mK.实验结果与热机械模型的分析一致. 关键词： 非制冷红外成像 光学读出 双材料微梁阵列     

基于无基底焦平面阵列红外热像仪的理论模型分析

基于双材料微悬臂梁热变形原理的光学读出非制冷红外探测阵列经历了从有基底结构向无基底结构的发展过渡,无基底阵列的红外成像结果和有限元模型分析均表明无基底阵列不满足恒温基底条件.本文结合电学比拟的方法,提出了一种新的基于无基底焦平面阵列(focal plane Array,FPA)的热传递分析的理论模型.分析采用整体考虑的思路,避开了无基底FPA阵列各单元热传递互相影响所产生的复杂热分布分析,并考虑了框架对热量的吸收与传递.理论模型采用外边框与环境等温的边界条件,虽不及有限元方法对边界条件的处理灵活,但也已取 关键词： 光学读出 无基底 非制冷红外成像 焦平面阵列     

Optical readout method based on a narrow-strip filter for microcantilever array sensing

An effective optical readout approach based on a narrow-strip filter is presented to detect bends of a bimaterial microcantilever focal plane array, by which light intensity of the image plane (CCD image sensor plane) can be increased and its uniformity on the image plane effectively enhanced. It reduces the noise equivalent temperature difference of the microcantilever focal plane array IR imaging system and improves uniformity of the IR images. A comparative experiment is designed to verify effectiveness. The experimental results show that the proposed method has advantages of preferable effect.     

Uncooled thermo-mechanical detector array with optical readout

This paper reports a novel uncooled infrared FPA whose performance is comparable to the cooled FPA’s in terms of noise parameters. FPA consists of bimaterial microcantilever structures that are designed to convert IR radiation energy into mechanical energy. Induced deflection by mechanical energy is detected by means of optical methods that measure sub nanometer thermally induced deflections. Analytical solutions are developed for calculating the figure of merits for the FPA. FEM simulations and the analytical solution agree well. Calculations show that for an FPA, NETD of < 5 mK is achievable in the 8–12 μm band. The design and optimization for the detectors are presented. The mechanical structure of pixels is designed such that it can be possible to form large array size FPA’s. Microfabrication of the devices to improve the performance further, employs low cost standard MEMS processes. The paper presented there appears in Infrared Photoelectronics, edited by Antoni Rogalski, Eustace L. Dereniak, Fiodor F. Sizov, Proc. SPIE Vol. 5957, 59570O (2005).     

光学读出微梁阵列红外成像及性能分析

在构建的光学读出微梁阵列(焦平面阵列FPA)非制冷红外成像系统中，实现了无硅基底FPA置于空气中对人体的热成像. 通过FPA在不同真空度环境条件下的成像结果进行比较，分析了热导和系统噪声值随气压变化的关系，以及对系统成像性能的影响，并对气体分子热运动自由程大于空气传热层特征尺度时的气体热传导模型进行了修正分析和实验验证. 实验结果表明：FPA置于空气中时，气体分子撞击微梁引起的微梁反光板无序振动产生的光学读出噪声成为系统噪声的主要来源. 当真空度小于1Pa时，总热导和光学读出噪声值的变化都趋于平缓；当真空度小于10^-2Pa时，空气热导的影响可忽略，总热导降低到微梁感热像素的辐射极限，光学读出噪声也降低到一极小值. 实验结果与理论分析相符合. 关键词： 非制冷红外成像 光学读出 双材料微梁阵列 热导     

无基底焦平面阵列的红外成像性能分析

利用提出的光学读出非制冷红外成像系统,先后制作了单元尺寸各不相同的单层膜无基底焦平面阵列(focal plane array,FPA),获得了室温物体的热图像.分析发现,当FPA的单元尺寸从200μm逐渐减小到60μm时,基于恒温基底模型的理论响应与实验结果的偏差逐渐增大.通过有限元分析方法,模拟分析了不同尺寸的微梁单元在无基底FPA中的热学行为,发现了当单元尺寸逐渐减小时恒温基底模型偏差逐渐增大的原因,即无基底FPA的支撑框架不满足恒温基底条件,受热辐射后支撑框架的温升从基底上抬高了单元的温升.论文还分 关键词： 光学读出 非制冷红外成像 焦平面阵列 无基底     

焦平面阵列反光板的优化设计与制作

光学读出红外热成像系统中,焦平面阵列(FPA)反光板的初始弯曲降低了系统的光学检测灵敏度。针对FPA的设计制作,提出了两种降低其反光板初始弯曲的优化设计方案:减薄反光板上金层厚度和制作带加强筋的反光板。在理论分析的基础上,设计制作了单元尺寸为200μm的反光板金层减薄FPA,其反光板曲率半径提高至原来金层未减薄FPA的4.71倍,系统光学检测灵敏度提高了5.2倍;单元尺寸为60μm的反光板带加强筋FPA,其反光板曲率半径提高至原来没有加强筋FPA的4.29倍,系统光学检测灵敏度提高了1.18倍。实验验证了理论分析的结果。     

A germanium photodetector array for the near infrared monolithically integrated with silicon CMOS readout electronics

Near infrared (NIR) detectors, operating in the 1.3–1.6 μm region, are key elements in a number of applications ranging from optical communications to remote sensing. InGaAs and Ge are currently the materials of choice for the fabrication of NIR detectors due to their good absorption and transport properties. However, as the required performances increase (bit-rate in optical communications, number of pixels in imaging, etc.), it becomes more and more important to reduce the separation from detectors and driving/biasing and amplifying electronics, by integrating the two components on the same chip.We demonstrate an array of NIR detectors monolithically integrated with standard silicon CMOS readout electronics. The employed low temperature process allowed the integration of the detectors as the last step of chip fabrication. The integrated micro-system consists of a linear array of 120×120 μm² pixels, an analog CMOS multiplexer and a transimpedance amplifier. The chip exhibits a good photoresponse in the NIR, with responsivities as high as 43 V/W at 1.3 μm, dark currents of 1 mA/cm² and inter-pixel cross-talk better than −20 dB.     

Four-band quantum well infrared photodetector array

A four-band quantum well infrared photodetector (QWIP) focal plane array (FPA) has been demonstrated by stacking different multi-quantum well structures, which are sensitive in 4–5.5, 8.5–10, 10–12, and 13–15.5 μm infrared bands. This 640 × 514 format FPA consists of four 640 × 128 pixel areas which are capable of acquiring images in these infrared bands. In this application, instead of quarter wevelength groove depth grating reflectors, three-quarter wavelength groove depth reflectors were used to couple radiation to each QWIP layer. This technique allows us to optimize the light coupling to each QWIP stack at corresponding pixels while keeping the pixel (or mesa) height at the same level, which will be essential for indium bump-bonding with the multiplexer. In addition to light coupling, these gratings serve as a contact to the active stack while shorting the unwanted stacks. Flexible QWIP design parameters, such as well width, barrier thickness, doping density, and the number of periods, were cleverly exploited to optimize the performance of each detector while accommodating requirements set by the deep groove light coupling gratings. For imaging, detector array is operated at temperature T=45 K, and each detector shows a very high D^*>1×10¹¹ cm  /W for 300 K background with f/2 optics. This initial array gave excellent images with 99.9% of the pixels working, demonstrating the high yield of GaAs technology.     

High-speed CMOS readout integrated circuit for large-scale and high-resolution microbolometer array

A new CMOS readout integrated circuit (ROIC) for microbolometric focal plane array (FPA) is proposed in this paper. By applying multiple-module parallel working technique, the pixel readout speed of the CMOS ROIC can reach 10 MHz, which is very suitable for large-scale microbolometer array. The CMOS ROIC of each parallel working module consists of three major parts: direct injection (DI) input circuits, column-shared integrating circuits, and common noise-suppressing circuits. The readout structure of the ROIC is simple because of the DI input, shared and common circuits, and this makes the ROIC satisfy the requirements of small-pixel microbolometric FPA. Furthermore, the voltage signals from different working modules can be output according to a certain order through a high-speed output circuit. An experimental readout chip based on the proposed ROIC has been designed and fabricated to verify its readout function and performance. The measurement results of the experimental readout chip have successfully proved that the proposed CMOS ROIC can be applied to high-speed, low-noise, large-scale and high-resolution microbolometric FPA.     

Single-photon imaging at 20,000 frames/s

A complete two-dimensional imaging system based on a silicon monolithic array of 60 single-photon counters is presented. The fabricated solid-state array is rugged and operates at low voltages. Detection efficiency is higher than 40% in the visible range, and cross talk among 50 microm pixels is lower than 10(-4). The complete system provides a maximum throughput of 20 kframes/s with truly parallel readout and nanosecond gating, thanks to the use of an integrated active quenching circuit for each pixel of the array. We report optical and electrical characterizations of the whole imaging system.     

Analysis of the features and reconstruction of a high resolution infrared image based on a multi-aperture imaging system

Infrared images of good quality are strictly important for such applications as targets detection, tracking and identifying. Traditional single aperture infrared imaging system brings in some defects for its imaging scheme. Multi-aperture imaging system shows promising characteristic of improving image quality and reducing size of optical instruments. We reconstruct a high resolution infrared image from the low resolution sub-images collected by the compact multi-aperture imaging system. A novel reconstruction method called pixels closely arrange (PCA) is proposed based on analyzing the compound eye imaging process, and this method is verified in a simulated 3D infrared scene to capture sub-images. An evaluation of the reconstructed image quality is presented to discuss the significant factors that affect the final result. Experimental results show that the PCA method can be efficiently applied to the multi-aperture infrared imaging system as long as the structure of the micro-lens array is specifically designed to be adaptive to the infrared focal plane array (IFPA).     

Optical readout method for microcantilever array sensing and its sensitivity analysis

An optical readout platform using a knife-edge filter for detecting the bending of a bimaterial microcantilever array is established, and the influence of stress-induced micromirror deformation on the optical detection sensitivity is discussed. The influence of deformation is modeled theoretically and validated experimentally. Analysis shows that the optical detection sensitivity will decrease by 50% when the mirror has a deformation of lambda/5 (lambda is the wavelength of readout light). Finally, an infrared image is obtained by the platform.     

高分辨率红外导引头光学系统小型化设计

设计一种高分辨率中波红外成像制导光学系统。采用折射一次成像的结构形式,初始结构为远摄型物镜组。所设计的系统共用3个光学元件,通过引入非球面和二元光学衍射元件,增加光学设计的自由度,全视场达到10,系统总长为49 mm,焦距为70 mm。并且系统在-40℃~60℃温度范围内具有良好的消热差作用,成像质量接近衍射极限,最大弥散斑直径小于15 m。适用于像元数为640512,像元尺寸为15 m,F数为2的红外焦平面探测器。系统具有成像分辨率高、视场大且体积小等优点,可用于小型红外导引头中。     

Development of a 1K × 1K, 8–12 μm QWIP array

In the on-going evolution of GaAs quantum well infrared photodetectors (QWIPs) we have developed a 1,024 × 1,024 (1K × 1K), 8–12  μm infrared focal plane array (FPA). This 1 megapixel detector array is a hybrid using an L3/Cincinnati Electronics silicon readout integrated circuit (ROIC) bump bonded to a GaAs QWIP array fabricated jointly by engineers at the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) and the Army Research Laboratory (ARL). We have integrated the 1K × 1K array into an SE-IR based imaging camera system and performed tests over the 50–80 K temperature range achieving BLIP performance at an operating temperature of 57 K. The GaAs array is relatively easy to fabricate once the superlattice structure of the quantum wells has been defined and grown. The overall arrays costs are currently dominated by the costs associated with the silicon readout since the GaAs array fabrication is based on high yield, well-established GaAs processing capabilities. One of the advantages of GaAs QWIP technology is the ability to fabricate arrays in a fashion similar to and compatible with silicon IC technology. The designer’s ability to easily select the spectral response of the material from 3 μm to beyond 15 μm is the result of the success of band-gap engineering and the Army Research Lab is a leader in this area. In this paper we will present the first results of our 1K × 1K QWIP array development including fabrication methodology, test data and imaging capabilities.     

Al(x)Ga(1-x)N-based deep-ultraviolet 320×256 focal plane array

We report the synthesis, fabrication, and testing of a 320×256 focal plane array (FPA) of back-illuminated, solar-blind, p-i-n, Al(x)Ga(1-x)N-based detectors, fully realized within our research laboratory. We implemented a pulse atomic layer deposition technique for the metalorganic chemical vapor deposition growth of thick, high-quality, crack-free, high Al composition Al(x)Ga(1-x)N layers. The FPA is hybridized to a matching ISC 9809 readout integrated circuit and operated in a SE-IR camera system. Solar-blind operation is observed throughout the array with peak detection occurring at wavelengths of 256 nm and lower, and falling off three orders of magnitude by ~285 nm. By developing an opaque masking technology, the visible response of the ROIC is significantly reduced; thus the need for external filtering to achieve solar- and visible-blind operation is eliminated. This allows the FPA to achieve high external quantum efficiency (EQE); at 254 nm, average pixels showed unbiased peak responsivity of 75 mA/W, which corresponds to an EQE of ~37%. Finally, the uniformity of the FPA and imaging properties are investigated.     

红外焦平面探测器的读出电路

红外焦平面阵列是现代红外成像系统的关键元件 ,不论是混合式还是单片式红外焦平面阵列 ,都采用读出电路来实现信号的多路传输以减少阵列输出信号线的数目。论述了读出电路在焦平面信号传输中的作用 ;讨论了用于实现红外焦平面阵列读出电路的一些实施技术 ;提出了红外焦平面阵列读出电路今后的研究方向     

基于压缩感知的矢量阵聚焦定位方法

本文针对噪声源近场定位识别问题,利用声源分布在空间域具有稀疏性,在压缩感知理论框架下建立了新体系下的矢量阵聚焦波束形成方法,用于解决同频相干声源的定位识别问题.新方法可在小快拍下准确获得噪声源的空间位置,且不损失对噪声源贡献相对大小的评价能力.通过详细的理论推导、仿真分析和试验验证,证明了基于压缩感知的矢量阵聚焦定位新方法本质上实现了l1范数正则化求解下的波形恢复和空间谱估计,因此具有较高的定位精度,较强的相干声源分辨能力、准确的声源贡献相对大小评价能力以及较高的背景压制能力,可应用于水下复杂噪声源的定位识别.     

Demonstration of 640 × 512 pixels long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) quantum dot infrared photodetector (QDIP) imaging focal plane array

We have exploited the artificial atom-like properties of epitaxially grown self-assembled quantum dots (QDs) for the development of high operating temperature long wavelength infrared (LWIR) focal plane arrays (FPAs). QD infrared photodetectors (QDIPs) are expected to outperform quantum well infrared detectors (QWIPs) and are expected to offer significant advantages over II–VI material based FPAs. We have used molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) technology to grow multi-layer LWIR dot-in-a-well (DWELL) structures based on the InAs/InGaAs/GaAs material system. This hybrid quantum dot/quantum well device offers additional control in wavelength tuning via control of dot-size and/or quantum well sizes. DWELL QDIPs were also experimentally shown to absorb both 45° and normally incident light. Thus we have employed a reflection grating structure to further enhance the quantum efficiency. The most recent devices exhibit peak responsivity out to 8.1 μm. Peak detectivity of the 8.1 μm devices has reached 1 × 10¹⁰ Jones at 77 K. Furthermore, we have fabricated the first long-wavelength 640 × 512 pixels QDIP imaging FPA. This QDIP FPA has produced excellent infrared imagery with noise equivalent temperature difference of 40 mK at 60 K operating temperature.