Uncooled microbolometer detector: Recent developments at Ulis

Uncooled infrared focal plane arrays are being developed for a wide range of thermal imaging applications. Therefore, to answer these markets, a 35 μm pixel-pitch uncooled IR detector technology has been developed enabling high performance 160 × 120 and 384 × 288 arrays production. Besides a wide-band version from uncooled 320 × 240/45 μm array has been also developed in order to address process control and more precisely industrial furnaces control. The ULIS amorphous silicon technology is well adapted to manufacture low cost detector in mass production. After some brief microbolometer technological background, we present the characterization of 35 μm pixel-pitch detector as well as the wide-band 320 × 240 infrared focal plane arrays with a pixel pitch of 45 μm. Information on the new 640 × 480 array with a pixel pitch of 25 μm is also presented.     

High-performance IR detectors at SCD present and future

For over 27 years, SCD has been manufacturing and developing a wide range of high performance infrared detectors, designed to operate in either the mid-wave (MWIR) or the long-wave (LWIR) atmospheric windows. These detectors have been integrated successfully into many different types of system including missile seekers, time delay integration scanning systems, hand-held cameras, missile warning systems and many others. SCD’s technology for the MWIR wavelength range is based on its well established 2D arrays of InSb photodiodes. The arrays are flip-chip bonded to SCD’s analogue or digital signal processors, all of which have been designed in-house. The 2D focal plane array (FPA) detectors have a format of 320×256 elements for a 30-μm pitch and 480×384 or 640×512 elements for a 20-μm pitch. Typical operating temperatures are around 77–85 K. Five years ago SCD began to develop a new generation of MWIR detectors based on the epitaxial growth of antimonide based compound semiconductors (ABCS). This ABCS technology allows band-gap engineering of the detection material which enables higher operating temperatures and multi-spectral detection. This year SCD presented its first prototype FPA from this program, an InAlSb based detector operating at a temperature of 100 K. By the end of this year SCD will introduce the first prototype MWIR detector with a 640×512 element format and a pitch of 15 μm. For the LWIR wavelength range SCD manufactures both linear Hg_1−xCd_xTe (MCT) detectors with a line of 250 elements and time delay and integration (TDI) detectors with formats of 288×4 and 480×6. Recently, SCD has demonstrated its first prototype uncooled detector which is based on VO_x technology and which has a format of 384×288 elements, a pitch of 25 μm, and a typical NETD of 50 mK at F/1. In this paper, we describe the present technologies and products of SCD and the future evolution of our detectors for the MWIR and LWIR detection. The paper presented there appears in Infrared Photoelectronics, edited by Antoni Rogalski, Eustace L. Dereniak, Fiodor F. Sizov, Proc. SPIE Vol. 5957, 59570S (2005).     

非制冷高变倍比连续变焦光学系统的设计

针对长波非制冷氧化钒320240像元焦平面阵列探测器,像元间距25 m25 m,采用变焦距光学系统设计原理,引入非球面和衍射面设计技术进行像差平衡,设计了长波红外连续变焦光学系统。该系统工作波段为8 m～12 m,视场为2.86～50连续可变,F数为1.2,变倍比为18∶1,在整个变焦范围内,光学调制传递函数在0.5以上,接近衍射极限,并且全视场能量70％集中在探测器的一个像元内。整个变焦光学系统仅使用一种红外材料(单晶锗)进行像差矫正。     

像元间距为25μm、160×120元无热电制冷器的非致冷非晶硅探测器（英文）

介绍用非晶硅微型辐射热量计制成的160×120元非致冷红外焦平面阵列的特点和性能，该阵列集成在一个无铅芯片载体封装中，像素间距为25μm，适合于大批量生产。 25μm像元结构得益于较小的热时间常数，该技术使我们能够设计出更高的热隔离性能，从而能以35μm技术为基础开发出25μm技术。通过采用新的像素设计和更进一步推动设计方法，在没有采用复杂昂贵的双层结构的前提下，保持了较高填充因子。从读出集成电路结构、封装、可操作性和光电性能入手对该探测器进行了介绍。为该探测器设计了一种新型集成读出电路。可以通过串行链接对增益、图像翻转和积分时间等高级功能进行操控，降低电气对接的数量。研制的小型无铅芯片载体封装便于大规模生产探测器，主要用途为便携式摄像机或头盔摄像机。     

像元间距为25 μm、160×120元无热电制冷器的非致冷非晶硅探测器

介绍用非晶硅微型辐射热量计制成的160×120元非致冷红外焦平面阵列的特点和性能,该阵列集成在一个无铅芯片载体封装中,像素间距为25μm,适合于大批量生产。25μm像元结构得益于较小的热时间常数,该技术使我们能够设计出更高的热隔离性能,从而能以35μm技术为基础开发出25μm技术。通过采用新的像素设计和更进一步推动设计方法,在没有采用复杂昂贵的双层结构的前提下,保持了较高填充因子。从读出集成电路结构、封装、可操作性和光电性能入手对该探测器进行了介绍。为该探测器设计了一种新型集成读出电路。可以通过串行链接对增益、图像翻转和积分时间等高级功能进行操控,降低电气对接的数量。研制的小型无铅芯片载体封装便于大规模生产探测器,主要用途为便携式摄像机或头盔摄像机。     

高变倍比大相对口径长波红外变焦系统设计

针对传统红外连续变焦系统难以同时满足高变倍比和大相对口径的使用要求,通过采用复合变焦光学系统结构,增加传统红外连续变焦光学系统的变焦距范围和相对口径。基于长波红外320×240像元、25 μm×25 μm非制冷焦平面探测器,设计了一款高变倍比大相对口径长波红外变焦光学系统, 光学系统由一个连续变焦部分与两档变焦部分组成,通过引入衍射光学元件校正长焦端色差,工作波段为8 μm~12 μm,焦距变化范围为-9 mm~-272.25 mm,F数为1.4。该系统具有成像质量好、变倍比高、相对口径大、导程小和凸轮曲线平滑等优点。     

Advanced features of SCD’s uncooled detectors

SCD has recently presented an uncooled detector product line based on the high-end VO_x bolometer technology. The first FPA launched, BIRD, is a 384×288 (or 320×240) configurable format with 25 μm pitch. Typical NETD values for these FPAs range at 50 mK with an F/1 aperture and 60 Hz frame rate. These detectors also exhibit a relatively fast thermal time constant of approximately 10 ms. In this paper we elaborate on the special advanced features that were incorporated within the ROIC and supporting algorithms. In this framework we have addressed two important issues: the power consumption and the time span between shutter activations. Minimum power consumption is a critical issue for many un-cooled applications. SCD has addressed this by introducing the “power-save” concept accompanied with flexible dilution architecture. The paper will present recent results exhibiting the various advantages. One of the limiting factors on the performance of uncooled detectors is their vulnerability to ambient drift. Usually, even minor temperature fluctuations are manifested as high residual non-uniformity (RNU) or fixed pattern noise (FPN). As a result frequent shutter operations must be applied, with the risk of blocking the scenery in critical time frames. The challenge is thus twofold: to increase the time span between shutter corrections and achieve better control of its activation. For this purpose BIRD provides two complementing mechanisms: A real-time (frame-by-frame) ambient drift compensation accompanied by an RNU prediction mechanism. The paper will discuss these features in detail and present illustrative system implementations. The paper presented there appears in Infrared Photoelectronics, edited by Antoni Rogalski, Eustace L. Dereniak, Fiodor F. Sizov, Proc. SPIE Vol. 5957, 59570N (2005).     

中波红外连续变焦系统设计

基于制冷型320×240凝视焦平面阵列探测器,设计了一套高变倍比中波红外连续变焦光学系统,用于机载光电探测和跟踪设备。该系统由变焦物镜系统、二次成像系统和两个反射镜构成。介绍了二次成像系统光瞳衔接的方法;通过光学软件给出了系统结构及其参数,并对系统的像质和那喀索斯效应进行了分析。测试结果表明,系统实现了11~200 mm的连续变焦,变倍比为18×,F数为3,工作波段为3~5μm,满足100%冷光阑效率,在空间频率16 lp/mm处的MTF值0.6;具有热灵敏度高、像质好、分辨率高等特点,满足了设计的要求。     

10倍全球面红外变焦光学系统设计

针对320240像素非制冷红外焦平面探测器,设计了一个工作波段为3.7 m~4.8 m的红外变焦光学系统。该系统由6片全球面透镜组成,采用硅和锗两种常见的红外材料,F数为2.5,后工作距为20 mm,可以实现15 mm~150 mm范围内连续变焦。设计评价结果表明:光学系统在探测器奈奎斯特频率16 lp/mm处,变焦范围内全视场MTF大于0.6, 0.7视场MTF接近0.7,整体接近衍射极限。焦平面探测器敏感元能量集中度大于70%,具有大相对孔径、长工作距、全球面的特点。在-20 ℃~60 ℃温度范围内,成像质量满足设计要求。     

折衍混合光学系统超宽温消热差设计

利用折衍混合结构设计了超宽温范围内的光学被动式消热差Petzval物镜,系统工作波段为3.2～4.5 m,视场角为8.42,焦距为95 mm,后工作距为60.5 mm。使用锗和硅两种材料,引入了2个非球面和1个衍射面, 实现了消热差和结构简单轻量化,该系统在－80～200 ℃范围内, 调制传递函数(MTF) 优于0.7,接近衍射极限, 成像质量良好,该系统适用于像元尺寸为35 m、像元数320240的非制冷红外焦平面阵列探测器。     

光学补偿式红外高变倍比步进变焦光学系统的设计

根据光学补偿变焦距理论,基于红外中波制冷型320240焦平面探测器,设计了31光学补偿式红外步进变焦光学系统。该光学系统工作波长范围为3 m～5 m,光学系统的F#和探测器相匹配,恒定为4,冷屏效率100%,焦距范围430 mm~12.867 mm。采用3种光学材料和非球面对光学系统进行优化设计,对7个视场严格校正了像差,各个视场的MTF曲线均接近衍射极限,获得了良好的像质。     

8～12 μm波段折/衍混合反摄远系统消热差设计

设计了工作于8～12μm波段的折/衍混合消热差红外反摄远系统.该系统全视场为14°,有效焦距为100 mm,后工作距为113 mm,F/#2.0.系统采用锗和硒化锌两种材料,为三片镜结构.引入二元面和高次非球面,使结构简化,重量减轻,提高了成像质量.系统在－40℃～100 ℃的温度范围内性能稳定,适用于像元尺寸40μm,像元数640×480的现代非致冷式面阵探测器.大视场、长后工作距以及超宽工作温度范围,决定了系统可满足军用和民用领域的多种需求.     

Development of a microstrip-based neutron detector

A gas-filled microstrip detector for thermal neutrons has been built and successfully tested in our laboratory. The detector has an active area of 20 mm × 15 mm and consists of alternate anodes and cathodes of widths 12 μm and 300 μm respectively. The anode to cathode gap is 150 μm and the pitch is 612 μm. A high resistance, meandering type horizontal strip connects the anodes at one end and aids in position sensing by charge division method. The detector is tested with gas mixtures³He+Kr (1: 2) and³He+CF₄ (2:1) at pressure of 3 atmospheres and using a Pu-Be neutron source. The pulse height spectrum shows energy resolution of ∼8% (FWHM) for the 764 keV peak at anode voltage of 525 V for³He+Kr and ∼15% at anode voltage of 800 V for³He+CF₄. Gas gains up to 6.3 × 103 and 3.6 × 103 are obtained respectively with these gas mixtures. The overall efficiency of the detector along the sensitive length is tested by exposing the active area to neutrons and recording the position spectrum. The detector shows fairly uniform efficiency (∼45%) over the active length.     

320×240长波非致冷微测辐射热计红外热象仪的研制

介绍了基于微测辐射热计320×240长波非致冷红外热象仪的研制,详细说明了其电气系统的设计方法及技术关键,并对其光学系统进行了简要说明.采用高象质的双反射光学系统以减少象差;红外探测器采用320×240长波非致冷集成微测辐射热计红外焦平面阵列(FPA);电气系统采用复杂可编程逻辑器件(CPLD)完成红外焦平面阵列的驱动,应用数字信号处理(DSP)技术实现红外焦平面阵列的非均匀性校正、图象增强及红外图象实时显示等.     

320×256 HgCdTe IR FPA with a built-in shortwave cut-off filter

A photovoltaic detector design based on the graded band gap HgCdTe MBE structure with high conductivity layer (HCL) at interface, which provides photodiodes series resistance and a shortwave cut.off filter is developed. The optimal HCL parameters giving high quantum efficiency and minimal noise equivalent temperature difference were determined by calculations and experimentally confirmed. The hybrid 320×256 IR FPA operating in 8–12 μm spectral range was fabricated. The threshold power responsivity and minimal noise equivalent temperature difference values at wavelength maximum were 1.02×10⁻⁷ W/cm², 4.1×10⁸ V/W and 27 mK, respectively.     

高变倍比红外变焦距光学系统设计

 采用长波160×120元非制冷焦平面阵列探测器,设计了工作于8μm～12μm波段折射式红外连续变焦光学系统,该系统具有大相对孔径,F数为1.2,变倍比10×,高成像质量等特点。系统使用锗和氯化钾两种普通红外材料,通过引入非球面校正系统轴外像差和高级像差,在中焦时采用平滑换根快速提高变倍比。系统在空间频率17lp/mm处,全焦距范围内调制传递函数（MTF）均在0.55以上,接近衍射极限;系统在接收半径17μm的探测器敏感元内,能量集中度大于72%,表明该系统具有良好的成像质量。     

大面阵非制冷红外热像仪的噪声等效温差精度分析

分析了采用脉冲偏置电压读出电路的大面阵(320×240)凝视型非制冷焦平面的原理。根据处于脉冲偏置的红外热像仪噪声等效温差的表达式,分析了影响噪声等效温差的几个因素。数值计算表明:脉冲偏置时非制冷焦平面温度升高带来的误差,是影响热像仪噪声等效温差精度的主要因素。     

Modulation transfer function of QWIP and superlattice focal plane arrays

Modulation transfer function (MTF) is the ability of an imaging system to faithfully image a given object. The MTF of an imaging system quantifies the ability of the system to resolve or transfer spatial frequencies. In this paper we will discuss the detail MTF measurements of a 1024 × 1024 pixel multi-band quantum well infrared photodetector and 320 × 256 pixel long-wavelength InAs/GaSb superlattice infrared focal plane arrays.     

InAs/GaSb superlattice focal plane arrays for high-resolution thermal imaging

The first fully operational mid-IR (3–5 μm) 256×256 IR-FPA camera system based on a type-II InAs/GaSb short-period superlattice showing an excellent noise equivalent temperature difference below 10 mK and a very uniform performance has been realized. We report on the development and fabrication of the detecor chip, i.e., epitaxy, processing technology and electro-optical characterization of fully integrated InAs/GaSb superlattice focal plane arrays. While the superlattice design employed for the first demonstrator camera yielded a quantum efficiency around 30%, a superlattice structure grown with a thicker active layer and an optimized V/III BEP ratio during growth of the InAs layers exhibits a significant increase in quantum efficiency. Quantitative responsivity measurements reveal a quantum efficiency of about 60% for InAs/GaSb superlattice focal plane arrays after implementing this design improvement. The paper presented there appears in Infrared Photoelectronics, edited by Antoni Rogalski, Eustace L. Dereniak, Fiodor F. Sizov, Proc. SPIE Vol. 5957, 595707 (2005).     

Monolithic integration technique for microlens arrays with infrared focal plane arrays

Based on scalar diffraction theory, 8-phase-level 256×290 element diffractive microlens arrays with lenslet dimension of 50×33 μm² have been fabricated on the back side of PtSi infrared focal plane arrays. The design and fabrication process are discussed. The measurement results indicate that the imaging quality has been greatly improved and the ratio of the signal-to-noise of the infrared focal plane array integration with microlens array is increased by a factor of 2.5.