Abstract
A turn-key semi-automated test system was constructed to perform on-wafer testing of microbolometer arrays. The
system allows for testing of several performance characteristics of ROIC-fabricated microbolometer arrays including
NETD, SiTF, ROIC functionality, noise and matrix operability, both before and after microbolometer fabrication. The
system accepts wafers up to 8 inches in diameter and performs automated wafer die mapping using a microscope
camera. Once wafer mapping is completed, a custom-designed quick insertion 8-12 μm AR-coated Germanium viewport
is placed and the chamber is pumped down to below 10-5 Torr, allowing for the evaluation of package-level focal plane
array (FPA) performance. The probe card is electrically connected to an INO IRXCAM camera core, a versatile system
that can be adapted to many types of ROICs using custom-built interface printed circuit boards (PCBs). We currently
have the capability for testing 384x288, 35 μm pixel size and 160x120, 52 μm pixel size FPAs. For accurate NETD
measurements, the system is designed to provide an F/1 view of two rail-mounted blackbodies seen through the
Germanium window by the die under test. A master control computer automates the alignment of the probe card to the
dies, the positioning of the blackbodies, FPA image frame acquisition using IRXCAM, as well as data analysis and
storage. Radiometric measurement precision has been validated by packaging dies measured by the automated probing
system and re-measuring the SiTF and Noise using INO’s pre-existing benchtop system.
