640 x 480 pixel uncooled infrared FPA with SOI diode detectors

This paper describes the structure and performance of a 25 mu m pitch 640 x 480 pixel uncooled infrared focal plane array (IR FPA) with silicon-on-insulator (SOI) diode detectors. The uncooled IR FPA is a thermal type FPA that has a temperature sensor of single crystal PN junction diodes formed in an SOI layer. In the conventional pixel structure, the temperature sensor and two support legs for thermal isolation are made in the lower level of the pixel, and an IR absorbing structure is made in the upper pixel level to cover almost the entire pixel area. The IR absorption utilizes IR reflections from the lower level. Since the reflection from the support leg portions is not perfect due to the slits in the metal reflector, the reflection becomes smaller as the support leg section increases in reduced pixel pitches. In order to achieve high thermal isolation and high IR absorption simultaneously, we have developed a new pixel structure that has an independent IR reflector between the lower and upper levels. The structure assures perfect IR reflection and thus improves IR absorption. The FPA shows a noise equivalent temperature difference (NETD) of 40 mK (f/1.0) and a responsivity non-uniformity of less than 0.9%. The good uniformity is due to the high uniformity of the electrical characteristics of SOI diodes made of single crystal silicon (Si). We have confirmed that the SOI diodes architecture is suitable for large format uncooled IR FPAs.