Low-cost low-power uncooled a-Si-based micro infrared camera

Thomas R. Schimert; David D. Ratcliff; Roland W. Gooch; Bobbi Ritchey; P. McCardel; John F. Brady III; K. Rachels; Steven J. Ropson; Marty Wand; M. Weinstein; John Wynn

doi:10.1117/12.336954

7 January 1999 Low-cost low-power uncooled a-Si-based micro infrared camera

Thomas R. Schimert, David D. Ratcliff, Roland W. Gooch, Bobbi Ritchey, P. McCardel, John F. Brady III, K. Rachels, Steven J. Ropson, Marty Wand, M. Weinstein, John Wynn

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 3577, Sensors, C3I, Information, and Training Technologies for Law Enforcement; (1999) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.336954
Event: Enabling Technologies for Law Enforcement and Security, 1998, Boston, MA, United States

Abstract

An amorphous silicon (a-Si) microbolometer-based uncooled infrared camera technology, offering a low- cost, low-power solution to infrared surveillance for both civilian and military application is presented. A- Si exhibits a temperature dependent resistance with a 3000K temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) of 2.7 percent/K. The uncooled a-Si microbolometer detector structure employs a low thermal mass a-Si membrane structure with high thermal isolation legs monolithically integrated on a CMOS readout integrated circuit (ROIC) chip. A refractive resonant cavity design results in approximately 90 percent infrared absorptance over the 8-13 um spectral band. A-Si also exhibits a UV/visible photoconductive response for multispectral applications. The ROIC involves an integrating amplifier per pixel and a column multiplexed output. A 15 x 31 micro infrared camera (MIRC) has been developed, which exhibits f/l noise equivalent temperature difference, thereby significantly reducing the power requirements. The 15 x 31 camera demonstrated exhibits a 35 mm camera form factor employing a low cost f/l singlet optic and LED display, as well as low cost vacuum packaging. A larger 120 x 160 version of the MIRC is also in development and will be discussed.

Citation Download Citation

Thomas R. Schimert, David D. Ratcliff, Roland W. Gooch, Bobbi Ritchey, P. McCardel, John F. Brady III, K. Rachels, Steven J. Ropson, Marty Wand, M. Weinstein, and John Wynn "Low-cost low-power uncooled a-Si-based micro infrared camera", Proc. SPIE 3577, Sensors, C3I, Information, and Training Technologies for Law Enforcement, (7 January 1999); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.336954

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available