Design and Performance of Amorphous Silicon Based on Uncooled Bolometer-Type Infrared Focal Plane Arrays

Abstract

Uncooled bolometric type thermal detectors , combined into a matrix and placed into a focal plane array have the following characteristics : low cost , operation at room temperature , compatibility with the silicon CMOS technology , and high detecting performance ; therefore recently it became a hot spot in infrared or terahertz detection field . The performance of uncooled infrared focal plane detector arrays depends on the optimization of critical parameters which are determined by geometrical design and the electrical , optical , and thermal physical properties of the detector materials . We report the study of a fabrication process and characterization of two (2D) dimensional arrays of uncooled microbolometers based on silicon (α- Si ) thermo-sensing films . Because these arrays substantially reduce sensor size , they are becoming the preferred format for most modern applications .