Samir Ilias

Development of MEMS microbolometer detector for THz applications

INO has been actively working on extending its microbolometer technology to THz applications. Several techniques have been developed recently to improve the performance of the microbolometer. This article will present these techniques and discuss some potential applications of INO THz microbolometer.

The EarthCARE broadband radiometer detectors

The Broadband Radiometer (BBR) is an instrument being developed for the ESA EarthCARE satellite. The BBR instrument objective is to provide top-of-atmosphere (TOA) radiance measurements in two spectral channels, and over three along-track directions. The instrument has three fixed telescopes (one for each view) each containing a broadband detector. Each detector consists of an uncooled 30-pixel linear focal plane array (FPA) coated with gold black in order to ensure uniform spectral responsivity from 0.2 μm to 50 μm. The FPA is hybridized with a readout integrated circuit (ROIC) and a proximity electronics circuit-card assembly (CCA) packaged in an aluminum base plate with cover. This paper provides a technical description of the detector design and operation. Performance data at the FPA pixel level as well as unit-level test results on early prototypes of the detectors are also presented.

Deposition and characterization of gold black coatings for thermal infrared detectors

High absorptivity and low thermal mass are two important requirements for coatings applied to thermal infrared detectors. Gold black coatings are very good candidates to ensure these characteristics in the broadband infrared spectral range. A specific deposition system was designed and built at INO in order to provide gold-black coatings for different broadband detection applications including the broadband radiometer (BBR) instrument for the European Space Agency (ESA) EarthCARE satellite. A parametric study targeting uniform optical absorptance within the spectral range from 0.2 μm to 50 μm was conducted. Specular reflectance lower than 10% was obtained for extended wavelength range up to 100 μm. The coating thickness ranges typically between 20 μm and 35 μm, with uniformity of about ± 3 μm over a sample surface of 10x10 mm2. The deposit density was typically ~0.3% of the bulk density of gold. To singulate the blackened infrared detector pixels, a laser micromachining process was developed. The setup exhibits a 1μm positioning accuracy and allows for ablation of 3 μm to 12 μm wide channels through the gold-black thickness, while preserving the pixel and gold-black deposit integrity.

MEMS-based flexible reflective analog modulators (FRAM) for projection displays: a technology review and scale-down study

A MEMS based technology for projection display is reviewed. This technology relies on mechanically flexible and reflective microbridges made of aluminum alloy. A linear array of such micromirrors is combined with illumination and Schlieren optics to produce a pixels line. Each microbridge in the array is individually controlled using electrostatic actuation to adjust the pixels intensities. Results of the simulation, fabrication and characterization of these microdevices are presented. Activation voltages below 250 V with response times below 10 μs were obtained for 25 μm × 25 μm micromirrors. With appropriate actuation voltage waveforms, response times of 5 μs and less are achievable. A damage threshold of the mirrors above 8 kW/cm2 has been evaluated. Development of the technology has produced projector engines demonstrating this light modulation principle. The most recent of these engines is DVI compatible and displays VGA video streams at 60 Hz. Recently applications have emerged that impose more stringent requirements on the dimensions of the MEMS array and associated optical system. This triggered a scale down study to evaluate the minimum micromirror size achievable, the impact of this reduced size on the damage threshold and the achievable minimum size of the associated optical system. Preliminary results of this scale down study are reported. FRAM with active surface as small as 5 μm × 5 μm have been investigated. Simulations have shown that such micromirrors could be activated with 107 V to achieve f-number of 1.25. The damage threshold has been estimated for various FRAM sizes. Finally, design of a conceptual miniaturized projector based on 1000×1 array of 5 μm × 5 μm micromirrors is presented. The volume of this projector concept is about 12 cm3.

Design and fabrication of giant micromirrors using electroplating-based technology

Giant micromirrors with large scanning deflection and good flatness are required for many space and terrestrial applications. A novel approach to manufacturing this category of micromirrors is proposed. The approach combines selective electroplating and flip-chip based technologies. It allows for large air gaps, flat and smooth active micromirror surfaces and permits independent fabrication of the micromirrors and control electronics, avoiding temperature and sacrificial layer incompatibilities between them. In this work, electrostatically actuated piston and torsion micromirrors were designed and simulated. The simulated structures were designed to allow large deflection, i.e. piston displacement larger than 10 um and torsional deflection up to 35°. To achieve large micromirror deflections, up to seventy micron-thick resists were used as a micromold for nickel and solder electroplating. Smooth micromirror surfaces (roughness lower than 5 nm rms) and large radius of curvature (R as large as 23 cm for a typical 1000x1000 um2 micromirror fabricated without address circuits) were achieved. A detailed fabrication process is presented. First piston mirror prototypes were fabricated and a preliminary evaluation of static deflection of a piston mirror is presented.

Electrostatically operated optical microshutter array for a miniature integrated optical spectrometer

16x1 programmable microshutter arrays allowing control of the light transmitted through a transparent substrate supporting the array were successfully fabricated using surface micromachining technology. Each microshutter is basically an electrostatic zipping actuator having a curved shape induced by a stress gradient through the actuator thickness. When a sufficient voltage is applied between the microshutter and the actuation electrode surrounding the associated microslit area, the generated electrostatic force pulls the actuator down to the substrate which closes the microslit. Opening the slit relies on the restoring force. High light transmission through the slit area is obtained with the actuator in the open position and excellent light blocking is observed when the shutter is closed. Static and dynamic responses of the device were determined. The pull-in voltage to close the microslit was about 110 V and the response times to close and open the microslit were about 2 ms and 7 ms, respectively.

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.

Heterogeneous MEMS device assembly and integration

In recent years, smart phone applications have both raised the pressure for cost and time to market reduction, and the need for high performance MEMS devices. This trend has led the MEMS community to develop multi-die packaging of different functionalities or multi-technology (i.e. wafer) approaches to fabricate and assemble devices respectively. This paper reports on the fabrication, assembly and packaging at INO of various MEMS devices using heterogeneous assembly at chip and package-level. First, the performance of a giant (e.g. about 3 mm in diameter), electrostatically actuated beam steering mirror is presented. It can be rotated about two perpendicular axes to steer an optical beam within an angular cone of up to 60° in vector scan mode with an angular resolution of 1 mrad and a response time of 300 ms. To achieve such angular performance relative to mirror size, the microassembly was performed from sub-components fabricated from 4 different wafers. To combine infrared detection with inertial sensing, an electroplated proof mass was flip-chipped onto a 256×1 pixel uncooled bolometric FPA and released using laser ablation. In addition to the microassembly technology, performance results of packaged devices are presented. Finally, to simulate a 3072×3 pixel uncooled detector for cloud and fire imaging in mid and long-wave IR, the staggered assembly of six 512×3 pixel FPAs with a less than 50 micron pixel co-registration is reported.

Programmable optical microshutter arrays for large aspect ratio microslits

Design, fabrication and characterization of a 16x1 programmable microshutter array are described. Each shutter controls the light transmitted through a microslit defined on the transparent substrate supporting the array. Two approaches were considered for the shutter array implementation: sweeping blades and zipping actuators. Simulation results and fabrication constraints led to the selection of the zipping actuators. The device was fabricated using a surface micromachining process. Each microshutter is basically an electrostatic zipping actuator having a curved shape induced by a stress gradient throughout the actuator thickness. When a sufficient voltage is applied between the microshutter and an actuation electrode surrounding the microslit area, the generated electrostatic force pulls the actuator down to the substrate which closes the microslit. Opening the slit relies on the restoring force due to the actuator deformation. Microshutter arrays were fabricated successfully. High light transmission through the slit area is obtained with the actuator in the open position and excellent light blocking is observed when the shutter is closed. Static and dynamic responses of the device were determined. A pull-in voltage of about 110 V closes the microslit and the response times to close and open the microslit are about 2 and 7 ms, respectively.

Enhancement of structural stiffness in MEMS structures

Many optical applications require smooth micromirror reflective surfaces with large radius of curvature. Usually when using surface micromachining technology and as a result of residual stress and stress gradient in thin films, the control of residual curvature is a difficult task. In this work, two engineering approaches were developed to enhance structural stiffness of micromirrors. 1) By integrating stiffening structures and thermal annealing. The stiffening structures consist of U-shaped profiles integrated with the mirror (dimension 200×300 μm2). 2) By combining selective electroplating and flip-chip based technologies. Nickel was used as electroplated material with optimal stress values around ±10 MPa for layer thicknesses of about 10 μm. With the former approach, typical curvature radii of about 1.5 cm and 0.6 cm along mirror width and length were obtained, respectively. With the latter approach, an important improvement in the micromirror planarity and flatness was achieved with curvature radius up to 23 cm and roughness lower than 5 nm rms for typical 1000×1000 μm2 micromirrors.