Francis Provençal

Advanced microbolometer detectors for a next-generation uncooled FPA for space-based thermal remote sensing

INO has established a VOx-based uncooled microbolometer detector technology and an expertise in the development of custom detectors and focal plane arrays. Thanks to their low power consumption and broadband sensitivity, uncooled microbolometer detectors are finding an increased number of applications in the field of space-based thermal remote sensing. A mission requirement study has identified at least seven applications with a need for data in the MWIR (3-8 μm), LWIR (8-15 μm) and or FIR (15-100 μm) wavelength bands. The requirement study points to the need for two main classes of uncooled thermal detectors, the first requiring small and fast detectors for MWIR and LWIR imaging with small ground sampling distance, and the second requiring larger detectors with sensitivity out to the FIR. In this paper, the simulation, design, microfabrication and radiometric testing of detectors for these two classes of requirements will be presented. The performance of the experimental detectors closely approach the mission requirements and show the potential of microbolometer technology to fulfill the requirements of future space based thermal imaging missions.

Influence of pixel geometry on the 1/f noise coefficient

This paper presents a systematic study of the 1/f noise coefficient as a function of pixel geometry for microbolometer structures. Structures with various VOx widths, electrode gaps, electrode widths and via hole sizes were fabricated and characterized. The experimental results show that the 1/f noise coefficient is adversely affected by current non uniformity, in agreement with model predictions. Design parameters that significantly impact current non uniformity are identified and approaches to minimize their importance are proposed.

Introducing a 384x288 pixel terahertz camera core

Terahertz is a field in expansion with the emergence of various security needs such as parcel inspection and through-camouflage vision. Terahertz wavebands are characterized by long wavelengths compared to the traditional infrared and visible spectra. However, it has recently been demonstrated that a 52 μm pixel pitch microscanned down to an efficient sampling pitch of 26 μm could provide useful information even using a 118.83 μm wavelength. With this in mind, INO has developed a terahertz camera core based on a 384x288 pixel 35 μm pixel pitch uncooled bolometric terahertz detector. The camera core provides full 16-bit output video rate.

Pressure sensing in vacuum hermetic micropackaging for MOEMS-MEMS

Packaging constitutes one of the most costly steps of MEMS/MOEMS manufacturing. Uncooled IR bolometers require a vacuum atmosphere of 1 mTorr and can be integrated with the IR bolometers in a die-level packaging process or microfabricated simultaneously on the same die. We present the typical performance and measurement uncertainty of these pressure sensors along with a reading method that provides a pressure measurement with a dependence on the package temperature as low as 0.7%/°C. A complex reading circuit or temperature control of the packages are not required, making the pressure sensor well adapted for low-cost high-volume production and integration with IR bolometer arrays.

Small uncooled bolometers with a broad spectral response

This paper reports the infrared spectral responses of 17 and 35 μm uncooled bolometers fabricated at INO. They are measured by making use of an external readout circuit along with a monochromator. As expected, the spectral absorption strongly depends on the bolometer stack as well as the pixel layout. By proper selection of design parameters, the spectral response can be made flat from 3 to 14 μm without significant deterioration of the detector figure of merit.

Wideband response of a terahertz-millimeter imager based on a 384x288 pixel uncooled bolometric detector

In the past, bolometer-based imagers have been used for earth observation. Uncooled-bolometer based imagers are especially well suited for this due to their low power consumption. NIRST (New Infra-Red Sensor Technology), an example of an imager based on uncooled bolometers, monitors high temperature events on the ground related to fires and volcanic events, and will measure their physical parameters and takes measurements of sea surface temperatures mainly off the coast of South America as well as other targeted opportunities. NIRST has one band in the mid-wave infrared centered at 3.8 um with a bandwidth of 0.8 um, and two bands in the thermal infrared, centered respectively at 10.85 and 11.85 um with a bandwidth of 0.9 um.

On the figure of merit of uncooled bolometers fabricated at INO

This paper reports the NETD values of various uncooled bolometers fabricated at INO. They are measured using an external readout circuit that emulates the readout scheme of a commercial ROIC. The measured NETD values range between 6 and 75 mK, depending on the pixel pitch and response time. Pixel pitches of 12, 17 and 35 μm are considered. The figure of merit of the characterized detectors is below 350 mK*ms.