Details of a multispectral imaging radiometer specially designed to retrieve fire characteristics from a nanosatellite platform are presented. The instrument consists of an assembly of three cameras providing co-registered midwave infrared, longwave infrared, and visible image data. Preliminary evaluation of the instrument budgets showed approximately a mass of 12 kg, an envelope of 220×240×200 mm3, and an average power consumption of 13 W. A method was devised to stagger two linear arrays of 512×3 VOx microbolometers in each infrared detector assembly. Investigation of the first completed detector assemblies showed an alignment accuracy better than 10% of pixel pitch and a response uniformity achieved across 92% of the pixels. Effects of the thermal environment seen by the pixels were evaluated to optimize the radiometric packaging design. It was found that the resulting thermal stability of the arrays, combined with the available electronic dynamic range, allows acquisition of targets with temperatures as high as 750 K with the desired accuracy and without saturation. The detector assemblies were able to withstand extreme environments with vibration up to 14 grms and temperatures from 218 to 333 K. Exposing the assembly’s window and bandpass filter to proton and Co-60 gamma radiation with successive dose of 10 krad and 100 Gy resulted in no adverse effect on their transmittance characteristics. Performance characteristics of the assembled midwave and longwave infrared telescopes were consistent with modeling predictions. Results of the point spread function measurement supported the conclusion that the lenses alignment had been achieved within mechanical tolerances for both telescopes.
INO has a wide experience in the design and fabrication of different kinds of microbolometer focal plane arrays (FPAs). In particular, a 512x3 pixel microbolometer FPA has been selected as the sensor for the New Infrared Sensor Technology (NIRST) instrument, one of the payloads of the SACD/Aquarius mission. In order to make the absolute temperature measurements necessary for many infrared Earth observation applications, the microbolometer FPA must be integrated into a package offering a very stable thermal environment. The radiometric packaging technology developed at INO presents an innovative approach since it was conceived to be modular and adaptable for the packaging of different microbolometer FPAs and for different sets of assembly requirements without need for requalification of the assembly process. The development of the radiometric packaging technology has broadened the position of INO as a supplier of radiometric detector modules integrating FPAs of microbolometers inside a radiometric package capable of achieving the requirements of different space missions. This paper gives an overview of the design of INO’s radiometric package. Key performance parameters are also discussed and the test campaign conducted with the radiometric package is presented.
Infrared spectroscopy probes the characteristic vibrational and rotational modes of chemical bonds in molecules to provide information about both the chemical composition and the bonding configuration of a sample. The significant advantage of the Infrared spectral technique is that it can be used with minimal consumables to simultaneously detect a large variety of chemical and biochemical species with high chemical specificity. To date, relatively large Fourier Transform (FT-IR) spectrometers employing variations of the Michelson interferometer have been successfully employed in space for various IR spectroscopy applications. However, FT-IR systems are mechanically complex, bulky (> 15 kg), and require considerable processing. This paper discusses the use of advanced integrated optics and smart optical coding techniques to significantly extend the performance of miniature IR spectrometers by several orders of magnitude in sensitivity. This can provide the next generation of compact, high-performance IR spectrometers with monolithically integrated optical systems for robust optical alignment. The entire module can weigh under 3 kg to minimize the mass penalty for space applications. Miniaturized IR spectrometers are versatile and very convenient for small and micro satellite based missions. They can be dedicated to the monitoring of the CO2 in an Earth Observation mission, to Mars exobiology exploration, as well as to vital life support in manned space system; such as the cabin air quality and the quality of the recycled water supply.
Since the discovery of the BiSrCaCuO superconductor,1 the response of this compound to infrared and millimeter wavelength radiation has received particular attention. To promote the growth of the high 11 phase, Pb is usually introduced into this compound.2 In our laboratory, the response of thin BiPbSrCaCuO films has been investigated at temperatures above and below Tc. When the film was biased into a partially resistive regime, a subgap nonbolometric response to millimeter waves was found to occur.3 Lately, a nonbolometric response to thermal infrared radiation was also found in normal state films and was attributed to the tensorial Seebeck effect.4 This paper reports on further evidences of the Seebeck effect and a BiPbSrCaCuO detector that makes use of this effect. BiPbSrCaCuO films were prepared on monocrystalline MgO substrates by magnetron rf sputtering.
Spaceborne assessment of fire characteristics relies on radiance measurement of fire pixels and non-fire pixels mainly in the midwave infrared (MWIR). Because ambient temperature non-fire pixels have low thermal emission in this spectral range, it remains a challenge to retrieve fire characteristics with the desired accuracy. This paper reports on uncooled microbolometers specially designed with low noise equivalent power (NEP) to enable fire diagnosis at MWIR wavelengths. Each microbolometer forming a 512x3 format array includes a Wheatstone bridge of one active, one blind, and two thermally shunted pixels followed by its own signal chain. Design analyses suggest the conditions for achieving the best NEP performance are: (i) the active, blind, and one shunt pixel have equal electrical resistances while the other shunt pixel has a larger resistance; (ii) the temperature difference between the active pixel and heat sink corresponds to about one-third the heat sink temperature; and (iii) the active and blind pixels have low thermal mass and conductance. Hardwired devices having different structural layouts were prepared for the validation of physical parameters and performance so that the suitable designs could be identified. After this, focal planes of 512x3 microbolometers were fabricated on readout electronics to allow further performance evaluation and development of staggered 1017x3 format arrays for a planned mission. The active pixel designs on the fabricated arrays exhibit a MWIR absorptance as high as 0.83 through implementation of a Salisbury screen absorber, a thermal conductance of ~ 67 nW/K, and a response time shorter than 10 ms. Their responsivities are found to be in good agreement with predictions of the design analysis. The effectiveness of an Al shield platform erected above the blind pixel was investigated, showing that certain designs are capable of attenuating the incident power by up to 24 times. Under optimal operating conditions an NEP of ~ 64 pW was derived from measurements in the spectral range of 3.4-4.2 um, which was corroborated by the probing results obtained on the on-wafer focal plane arrays. When using these arrays with an F/1 telescope to retrieve scenes of 400 K from low Earth orbits, a noise equivalent temperature difference of ~ 320 mK can be achieved.
We report on the design and instrumentation of an aircraft-certified far infrared radiometer (FIRR) and the resulting instrument characteristics. FIRR was designed to perform unattended airborne measurements of ice clouds in the arctic in support of a microsatellite payload study. It provides radiometrically calibrated data in nine spectral channels in the range of 8-50 μm with the use of a rotating wheel of bandpass filters and reference blackbodies. Measurements in this spectral range are enabled with the use of a far infrared detector based on microbolometers of 104-μm pitch. The microbolometers have a new design because of the large structure and are coated with gold black to maintain uniform responsivity over the working spectral range. The vacuum sealed detector package is placed at the focal plane of a reflective telescope based on a Schwarschild configuration with two on-axis spherical mirrors. The telescope field-of-view is of ~6° and illuminates an area of ~2.1-mm diameter at the focal plane. In operation, FIRR was used as a nonimaging radiometer and exhibited a noise equivalent radiance in the range of 10-20 mW/m2-sr. The dynamic range and the detector vacuum integrity of FIRR were found to be suited for the conditions of the airborne experiments.
Focal planes of 80x60 VOx microbolometers with pixel pitch of 104 μm were developed in support of the remote sensing
of ice clouds in the spectral range from 7.9 to 50 μm. A new design that relies on the use of central posts to support the
microbolometer platform was shown effective in minimizing the structural deformation usually occurred in platforms of
large area. A process for goldblack coating and patterning of the focal plane arrays was established. It was found that the
goldblack absorbs more than 98 % and 92 % of incident light respectively at wavelengths shorter and longer than 20 μm.
Moreover, a spectral uniformity of better than 96 % was achieved in all spectral channels required for the measurements.
The noise figures derived from the data acquired over short periods of acquisition time showed the evidence of a
correlation with the format of the addressed sub-arrays. This correlation was not observed in the data acquired over long
periods of time, suggesting the presence of low frequency effects. Regardless of the length of acquisition time, an
improvement of noise level could be confirmed when the operating temperature was increased. The dependence of
responsivity on sub-array format and operating temperature was investigated. The noise equivalent power derived from
this study was found to be in the range from 45 to 80 pW, showing that the far infrared focal plane arrays are suited for
use in the intended application.
We report on the development of a net flux radiometer as part of a wireless sensor network for the acquisition of surface meteorological data on Mars. The radiometer makes use of four separate sensors to measure simultaneously: (i) global solar radiation; (ii) ground reflected solar radiation; (iii) sky emitted infrared radiation; and (iv) ground emitted infrared radiation. To perform measurements in the broad spectral range from 0.2 to 50 μm, goldblack coated microbolometers of 100 um size were fabricated for use in custom packaged pyranometers and pyrgeometers. Each microbolometer was placed at the center of an optically coated dome which provided a field-of-view of 180° and acted as a bandpass filter. Under nominal operating conditions the microbolometer showed a responsivity of ~ 75 kV/W and a time constant of ~ 13 ms. Parametric characterization of the radiometer provided a set of bias voltages, integration time, and temperature set points that help prevent the issue of output saturation in field operation conditions. The measured sensitivity, in the range from 2 to 6 mV/(W/m2), and measured resolution, from 0.06 to 0.15 W/m2, compared favorably with those of commercial net flux instruments. The results obtained in the field operation confirmed that the temporal responses of the pyranometer and pyrgeometer are in good agreement with the responses of the commercial instrument. However, a signal drift was observed, mostly in the pyrgeometer data, over a long period acquisition. This drift, which appears to be in correlation with changes in the environment temperature, is believed to be a result of the dome heating effect.
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.
Details on the first linear arrays of 512×3 VOx microbolometers operating in space are reported. Arrays of this format are
suited for remote sensing where relative motion between the spacecraft and target provides an inherent scanning
mechanism. To take full advantage of the linear format, the array is built on a custom readout electronics that enables
simultaneous integration of all pixels for scanning periods of up to 140 ms. The output signal from each pixel is digitized
to 14 bits using a voltage-to-frequency conversion mechanism. Two arrays, integrated into two spectrally distinct
radiometric packages, provide for coregistration of infrared images in three bands centered at 3.8, 10.85, and 11.85 μm
for the retrieval of fire and sea surface temperatures. Analysis of the downlinked data confirms the reliable in-orbit
operation and consistency with pre-launch characteristics for both arrays. Algorithms have been developed to perform
post processing and absolute radiometric calibration of images in all bands. Image deconvolution using Wiener filtering
was found effective in recovering the signal loss incurred in the active pixels when observing high temperature events.
The in-flight gain and offset values were evaluated for all pixels by means of deep space measurements and cross
calibration with reference spaceborne sensors. Preliminary assessment of the images calibrated using these values
showed that they are in agreement with those retrieved from GOES sensor.
This paper reports on a net flux sensor being devised as part of a network of meteorological sensors for the acquisition of
surface data of Mars. The characteristics of the measuring configuration and source of error that drive the sensor design
are examined. The pyranometers and pyrgeometers of the sensor use double platform microbolometers with gold black
coating for the measurement of radiative fluxes in the spectral range from 0.3 to 50 μm. The microbolometer detector
exhibits a typical responsivity of ~ 1.8×104 V/W and a time constant of ~ 14 ms at the pixel level. The reflectance data
confirm that the gold black absorbs more than 98 % of the incident light in the range from 0.2 to 20 μm, while the
absorptance exceeds 94% for wavelengths up to 100 μm. The detector transfer function is derived to assist in the
characterization of net flux sensor. The experimental sensor modules, which differ in the spectral band and field of view,
are designed to be interchangeable on the same node of a sensor network. The network is intended for the evaluation of
the sensor performance and measurement configuration in analog field experiments.
There is a demand for increasing the spatial resolution and swath width in Earth observation applications. To improve
the resolution and swath width, increased thermal isolation and decreased pitch of the microbolometer need to be
achieved. This paper reports on the investigation of different structures of highly insulated 35 μm pitch microbolometers.
Each structure consists of two suspended Si3N4 platforms with the upper level containing the bolometer element and the
lower level containing hinges of varying length. A numerical model was derived to predict the figures of merit of the
structures prior to microfabrication. Experimental characterization was performed on microfabricated devices,
confirming the computed results. The thermal conductance, in the range from 85 to 134 nW/K, varies inversely with the
hinge length and the best responsivity was achieved on the sample with the longest hinge. The corresponding detectivity
and response time were respectively 9 × 108 cmHz1/2/W and 8 ms approximately.
Uncooled microbolometer detectors are well suited for space applications due to their low power consumption while still exhibiting adequate performance. Furthermore, the spectral range of their response could be tuned from the mid- to the far-infrared to meet different mission requirements. If radiometric measurements are required, the radiometric error induced by variation of the temperature of the detector environment must be minimized. In a radiometric package, the detector environment is thermally stabilized by means of a temperature-controlled radiation shield. The radiation shield must be designed to prevent stray radiation from reaching the detector. A radiometric packaging technology for uncooled microbolometer FPAs is presented. The selection of materials is discussed and the final choices presented based on thermal simulations and experimental data. The radiometric stability with respect to stray light and variation of the temperature of the environment as well as the different noise components studied by means of the Allan variance are presented. It is also shown that the device successfully passed the prescribed environmental tests without degradation of performance.
Aquarius/SAC-D is a cooperative international mission conducted jointly by the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration of the United States of America and the Comisión Nacional de Actividades Espaciales of Argentina.
Jointly developed by CONAE and the Canadian Space Agency, the New IR Sensor Technology (NIRST) instrument will
monitor high temperature events. NIRST has one band in the mid-wave infrared and two bands in the thermal infrared.
The baseline design of the NIRST is based on microbolometer technology developed jointly by INO and the CSA. This
paper will first present an overview of the design of the NIRST camera module. The manufacturing and qualification
activities for the Flight Model will be described and key performance parameters, as measured during the verification
campaign, will be reported.
KEYWORDS: Staring arrays, Sensors, Temperature metrology, Long wavelength infrared, Microbolometers, Cameras, Mid-IR, Radio optics, Stray light, Black bodies
We have previously reported on the initial development of a multi-linear uncooled microbolometer FPA for
space applications. The IRL512 FPA features three parallel lines of 512 pixels on a 39 micron pixel pitch
with parallel integration of all pixels, a complete detector bridge per pixel for offset and substrate
temperature drift compensation, and one 14-bit digital output bus per line. The FPA achieves an NETD
below 45 mK over the LWIR spectral band with 50 ms integration time, 300 K scene temperature, and
f/0.87 optics. In the context of the NIRST instrument for the upcoming SAC-D/Aquarius earth observation
mission, MWIR and LWIR optimized versions of the IRL512 in radiometric packages including integrated
stripe filter and radiation shield have recently successfully undergone screening and qualification
campaigns. The qualification strategy consists of part element and device qualification including proton
and total dose radiation, shock, vibration, burn-in, and thermal cycling. The test conditions and results will
be reviewed. The thermal resolution of the current generation of radiometrically packaged IRL512 FPA in
the NIRST instrument is below 500 mK with an 0.9 micron spectral bandwidth centred at 10.85 μm, 50 ms
integration time, the NIRST f/1 optics, and 300 K scene temperature.
KEYWORDS: Radiometry, Sensors, Far infrared, Microbolometers, Space operations, Radio optics, Satellites, Data acquisition, Active sensors, Electronics
This paper reports on the design and analysis of two miniature far infrared radiometers to be distributed on low Earth
orbit by means of two formation flying nanosatellites. These instruments are intended for the coregistration of the Earth's
limb profiles in the emission bands of CO2 and H2O, 14-16 um and 24.3-26.1 um. Their purposes are to produce a new database of navigational horizon characteristics and to support the investigations of the atmospheric outgoing radiation in
the far infrared spectrum. Miniaturization technologies have been used to ensure compliances of the radiometer with an
average power consumption of 400 mW, a mass of 500 g, and an envelope of 105×105×100 mm3. The optics of the
radiometer was designed to achieve adequate throughput for a vertical resolution of 2.8 km of the limb. It was shown that
good optical performance could be obtained in the far infrared using small lens assemblies. The sensor consists of a
linear array of 256×2 custom designed microbolometers whose absorptance characteristics were tailored to the working
spectral band. Computed data on the sensor performance confirmed its suitability for the acquisition of limb targets with
typical temperature profile of 220-300 K at the above spatial resolution. The data acquisition is to be performed in
sequences of measurement of 14 s with one orbital period between sequences until the latitude coverage is completed.
This duty cycle was found compatible with the downlink and storage capacity of the nanosatellite.
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.
INO has extensive experience in the design and fabrication of focal plane arrays (FPAs) of uncooled microbolometers.
In particular, the FPA of 512×3 microbolometers, developed in collaboration with the Canadian Space Agency (CSA),
has been selected for use in the NIRST (New Infrared Sensor Technology) radiometer of the SAC-D Aquarius mission.
The FPA has been designed for pushbroom scanning of the Earth to provide radiometric data in the mid- and long-wave
infrared for the monitoring of fires as well as thermal mapping of ocean temperature. Uncooled microbolometer
detectors are suited for space applications due to their low power consumption while still exhibiting adequate
performance. Furthermore, the spectral range of their response could be tuned from the mid- to the far-infrared to meet
different mission requirements. In order to ensure that the detector receives only the thermal contribution from the
desired target and to minimize radiometric error due to variation of the temperature of the surrounding during the
measurements, a radiometric package is required. In a radiometric package the detector environment is thermally
stabilized by means of a temperature controlled radiation shield. The radiation shield should also be designed to prevent
stray radiation from reaching the detector.
Under the Space Technology Development Program of the CSA, INO has designed, assembled and tested a radiometric
package in order to characterize its performance and compatibility with the space environment. The operating spectral
band is defined by the spectral characteristics of a bandpass filter placed in front of the FPA. For typical space missions,
the package must pass standard environmental tests without degradation of its performance (thermal cycling from -55 to
+85 °C according to MIL-STD-810, random acceleration up to 14 G RMS from 20-2000 Hz and shock up to 75 G). In
order to ensure reliability in those conditions while maintaining optimum performance, an adequate selection of
materials is necessary.
In this paper, INO's radiometric packaging technology for uncooled microbolometer FPA's will be presented. The
selection of materials will be discussed and the final choices presented based on thermal simulations and experimental
data. The effects of different design parameters on the performance, such as material, shape and thickness of radiation
shield and choice of adhesive have been studied. An instantaneous noise equivalent temperature difference (NETD) of
~ 20 mK was obtained under the measurement conditions (broadband LWIR, 140 ms integration time, f/1 optics,
characterization in flood exposure). The design of the package reduced the contribution of environmental temperature
variations on the offset of the sensor. The equivalent response of the package varied less than 0.08 °C per degree of
variation of the temperature of the package. The package also showed low sensitivity to stray radiation as a result of the
effectiveness of the radiation shield design. The device successfully passed the prescribed environmental tests without
degradation of performance.
Aquarius/SAC-D is a cooperative international mission conducted jointly by the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA) of the United States of America (USA) and the Comisión Nacional de Actividades Espaciales
(CONAE) of Argentina. The overall mission targets the understanding of the total Earth system and the consequences of
the natural and man-made changes in the environment of the planet. Jointly developed by CONAE and the Canadian
Space Agency (CSA), the New IR Sensor Technology (NIRST) instrument will monitor high temperature events on the
ground related to fires and volcanic events, and will measure their physical parameters. Furthermore, NIRST will take
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. The temperature range is
from 300 to 600 K with an NEDT < 0.5 K for the mid-infrared band and from 200 to 400 K with an NEDT < 0.4 K for
the thermal bands. The baseline design of the NIRST is based on micro-bolometer technology developed jointly by INO
and the CSA. Two arrays of 512x3 uncooled bolometric sensors will be used to measure brightness temperatures. The
instantaneous field-of-view is 534 microradians corresponding to a ground sampling distance of 350 m at the subsatellite
point. A pointing mirror allows a total swath of +/− 500 km. This paper describes the detailed design of the
NIRST camera module. Key performance parameters are also presented.
NIRST is a pushbroom scanning infrared radiometer that makes use of 512×2 arrays of resistive microbolometers. This instrument comprises mainly two cameras, one operating in the spectral band of 3.4-4.2 μm (band 1) and the other in the bands of 10.4-11.3 (band 2) and 11.4-12.3 μm (band 3). It is intended for the retrievals of forest fire and sea surface temperatures in the Aquarius / SAC-D mission. In this mission the satellite will be launched into a Sun Synchronous polar orbit with an ascending node at 6 PM. This orbit suits the need of discriminating forest fires from solar reflections. NIRST is designed to achieve a spatial resolution of 350 m and a swath width of 180 km at nadir. Its field of view can be steered across track up to 500 km on each side to shorten the revisit time.
To measure fire intensity temperatures NIRST will perform multispectral scans of ground area in bands 1 and 2 and the acquired data will be analyzed using a double band algorithm. The microbolometer detectors have been designed to exhibit useful dynamic range for this application. It is projected that the detector response in band 1 saturates only when NIRST scans a 350 m ground pixel of average temperature of 700 K. The use of the data acquired in bands 2 and 3 allows for the retrieval of sea surface temperature by means of the split algorithm technique.
Linear detector array formats are suitable for applications where relative motion between the detector and scene provides an intrinsic scanning mechanism, such as industrial inspection systems and satellite-based earth and planetary observation. The linear array format facilitates the introduction readout features not available in 2-D formats and when combined with low cost packaging approaches reduces sensor cost. We present two linear uncooled detector arrays based on VOx microbolometer technology and integrated CMOS readout electronics. The IRL256B is a linear array of 256 detectors on a 52 μm pitch. It includes a parallel array of 256 reference detectors to provide coarse offset correction and substrate temperature drift compensation. The IRL512A consists of 3 parallel lines of 512 pixels on a 39 μm pitch. It is particularly well suited to multi-spectral pushbroom imaging applications. Each pixel includes active and reference detectors to reduce pixel offset, eliminate common mode power supply noise and increase immunity to chip temperature drift. All pixels are integrated in parallel and the data are output in 14-bit digital format on three parallel output buses. The microbolometer detector design can be customized for selected wavelength ranges from NIR to VLWIR. The IRL256B has been integrated in industrial thermal line-scan imagers and spectrometers and may also be employed in uncooled airborne imaging and scanned surveillance or inspection systems. The IRL512A has been selected as the baseline detector for a number of future earth observation satellite missions.
Francis Picard, Hubert Jerominek, Timothy Pope, Rose Zhang, Linh Ngo, Bruno Tremblay, Nick Tasker, Carol Grenier, Ghislain Bilodeau, Felix Cayer, Mario Lehoux, Christine Alain, Carl Larouche, Simon Savard
In an effort to leverage uncooled microbolometer technology, testing of bolometer performance in various nonimaging applications has been performed. One of these applications makes use of an uncooled microbolometer array as the sensing element for a laser beam analyzer. Results of the characterization of cw CO2 laser beams with this analyzer are given. A comparison with the results obtained with a commercial laser beam analyzer is made. Various advantages specific to microbolometer arrays for this application are identified. A second application makes use of microbolometers for absolute temperature measurements. The experimental method and results are described. The technique's limitations and possible implementations are discussed. Finally, the third application evaluated is related to the rapidly expanding field of biometry. It consists of using a modified microbolometer array for fingerprint sensing. The basic approach allowing the use of microbolometers for such an application is discussed. The results of a proof-of-principle experiment are described. Globally, the described work illustrates the fact that microbolometer array fabrication technology can be exploited for many important applications other than IR imaging.
Details of the fabrication process and figures of merit of resistive YBaCuO micro bolometers are reported. Thin films of YBaCuO were prepared on Si wafers under conditions that promote formation of the semi-conducting phase at room temperatures. Effects of the preparation conditions on activation energy of YBaCuO were studied to obtain films with a large temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR). TCR with values of up to 0.04 K-1 was achieved uniformly on 10- cm wide wafer areas. Bulk micromachining was used to create 60 X 60 micrometer2 bolometers on Si3N4 bridges with a thermal conductance of approximately 7.6 X 10-7 W/K. The low frequency responsivity and detectivity of the micro bolometers were respectively approximately 7 X 104 V/W and 3 X 109 cm.Hz1/2/W at room temperatures. These figures compare favorably with figures of other classes of un-cooled micro bolometer and are consistent with those derived from thermal properties of the bridge. Under normal operating conditions and assuming f/1.0 optics, the NETD of focal planes that make use of these micro bolometers was estimated to be less than 50 mK in the spectral range of 8 to 14 micrometer.
Hubert Jerominek, Timothy Pope, Christine Alain, Rose Zhang, Mario Lehoux, Francis Picard, R. Wayne Fuchs, Carol Grenier, Yves Rouleau, Felix Cayer, Simon Savard, Ghislain Bilodeau, Jean-Francois Couillard, Carl Larouche, Linh Ngo
An uncooled IR camera making use of a 128 X 128 pixel bolometric FPA is presented. The reconfigurable bolometric focal plane array consist of 50 micrometer X 50 micrometer pixels and simple on-chip CMOS readout electronics which can be operated in random access, independent row and column clocking, and self-scanning modes. Depending on the selected pixel format and frame rate, the FPA's NETD varies from 0.52 degrees Celsius down to 0.10 degrees Celsius. The modular IR camera is software configured and provides RS170A analog video and 12-bit TTL format digital outputs.
The solid state reliability and convenience of thermoelectric coolers make them an attractive solution to cooling detectors. We present evidence that the temperatures difference of thermoelectric Bi2Te3 coolers can be increased by optimizing the device parameters. Computer modeling of multistage coolers was used to analyze the parametric effects on their performance. Experimental coolers were constructed on the basis of modeling results and tradeoffs between performance and size. A heat treatment was applied to the Bi2Te3 elements, reducing their resistivity to about 25% of that of untreated elements. The performance of radiation shielded coolers in vacuum was investigated, with the heat sink temperature maintained at 293 K. Without field enhancement, the temperature difference measured for a six- stage cooler was 137 K in presence of a thermal load of 10 mW. To compensate for the increase of the stage dimensions in seven-stage coolers, the thermal resistance of the stage surface was reduced by means of solder coating. For the best seven-stage device, a difference of 166 K could be achieved for a thermal load of 20 mW. For the parameter values used in the experiment, the cooldown time was typically 500 sec regardless of the supplied voltage. The measured ratio of temperatures of adjacent stages varied negligibly, indicating that the coefficient of performance of the studied cooler is close to the optimum value. The good agreement found between experimental and computer modeling data suggests that the developed model may be suited for further performance prediction.
Hubert Jerominek, Timothy Pope, Martin Renaud, Nicholas Swart, Francis Picard, Mario Lehoux, Simon Savard, Ghislain Bilodeau, Danick Audet, Linh Phong, Chu Qiu
Several prototypes of individual VO2-based bolometric detectors and their arrays consisting of 64 by 64, 128 by 128 and 240 by 320 pixels are presented. The fabrication method and the device characterization results are described. Three types of readout integrated circuits for the arrays are also presented. A custom vacuum package for the IR bolometric detector arrays is descried.
Two designs of wavelength detector intended for field applications are presented. The first design makes use of a pair of sensors located behind a linear variable filter. The active area of one sensor increases, whereas that of the other sensor decreases, along the direction of increasing value of transmission wavelength of the filter. The second design involves the use of a pair of identical sensors, one of which is coated with a spectrally variable attenuator. For both designs, by computing the ratio of the photoresponse of one sensor to the other, the wavelength of monochromatic light is obtained from a calibration chart. Experimental wavelength detectors were constructed using superconductor and semiconductor dual sensors. The results obtained in the spectral range of 0.6 - 7 micrometer showed that sensitive, accurate detection of wavelength can be achieved for a wide range of incident angles.
The construction of superconductor focal planes for infrared or millimeter wave imaging requires that the substrate of superconductor films be micromachined into thermal isolation structures or horn cavities. Wet etching was used to create cavities in the MgO substrate of high Tc BiPbSrCaCuO films. Processes for lithography of metal patterns on superconductor films were also devised. It was found that cavities with a wall angle of 55 - 60 degrees could be formed in (100) MgO using solutions of HNO3:CH3COOH or H3PO4. The MgO normal etch rates of these solutions were found to be respectively 117 and 27 micrometer/hour. Thermal evaporation and magnetron rf sputtering were used to prepare Au and Ag films on BiPbSrCaCuO and MgO; however, only the sputtered films showed adequate film adhesion. Electric contacts and dipoles made of Au or Ag could be created by wet etching in a solution of KI-I without apparent degradation of the superconductivity of BiPbSrCaCuO.
PbBiSrCaCuO films with a predominant Bi2Sr2Ca2Cu3O10 superconducting phase were prepared on (100) MgO and LaAlO3 substrates. The radiative properties of the film-substrate composites were investigated at room temperature and at temperatures near Tc in the wavelength band of 2 - 17 micrometers . For the film parameters used in this experiment, the near normal-incidence values of the reflectance were large while those of the transmittance were very small. No significant change in reflectance was observed as the film underwent a superconducting-normal transition in the vicinity of Tc. However, the reflectance decreased with decreasing film thickness and radiation wavelength. It could be verified that the substrate has a negligible effect on overall radiative properties when film thickness is sufficiently large. To determine the response mode of the film at infrared wavelengths, photoresponses to short laser pulses were measured. From the temperature- dependent behavior of transient structure and responsivity, the thermal origin of the photoresponse could be confirmed.
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