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Amorphous Silicon Microbolometer Technology

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 March 2011

A. J. Syllaios ,
T. R. Schimert ,
R. W. Gooch ,
W. L. McCardel ,
B. A. Ritchey  and
J. H. Tregilgas
A. J. Syllaios
Affiliation:
Raytheon Electronic Systems Company, Dallas, TX 75266
T. R. Schimert
Affiliation:
Raytheon Electronic Systems Company, Dallas, TX 75266
R. W. Gooch
Affiliation:
Raytheon Electronic Systems Company, Dallas, TX 75266
W. L. McCardel
Affiliation:
Raytheon Electronic Systems Company, Dallas, TX 75266
B. A. Ritchey
Affiliation:
Raytheon Electronic Systems Company, Dallas, TX 75266
J. H. Tregilgas
Affiliation:
Raytheon Electronic Systems Company, Dallas, TX 75266
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Abstract

Highly sensitive hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) microbolometer arrays have been developed that take advantage of the high temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) of aSi:H and its relatively high optical absorption coefficient. TCR is an important design parameter and depends on material properties such as doping concentration. Ultra-thin (∼2000 Å) aSiNx:H/a-Si:H/ a-SiNx:H membranes with low thermal mass suspended over silicon readout integrated circuits are built using RF plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) and surface micromachining techniques. The IR absorptance of the bolometer detectors is enhanced by using quarter-wave resonant cavity structures and thin-film metal absorber layers. To ensure high thermal isolation the microbolometer arrays are vacuum packaged using wafer level vacuum packaging. Imaging applications include a 120×160 a-Si:H bolometer pixel array IR camera operating at ambient temperature. Non-imaging applications are multi-channel detectors for gas sensing systems.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 609: Symposium A – Amorphous & Heterogeneous Silicon Thin Films – 2000 , 2000 , A14.4
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2000

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References

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