Ferroelectric arrays: the route to low-cost uncooled infrared imaging

Stephen G. Porter; Rex Watton; Kennedy Robert McEwen

doi:10.1117/12.218255

8 September 1995 Ferroelectric arrays: the route to low-cost uncooled infrared imaging

Stephen G. Porter, Rex Watton, Kennedy Robert McEwen

Proceedings Volume 2552, Infrared Technology XXI; (1995) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.218255
Event: SPIE's 1995 International Symposium on Optical Science, Engineering, and Instrumentation, 1995, San Diego, CA, United States

Abstract

Large arrays of ferroelectric elements have considerable potential for thermal imaging applications, offering operation and performance which challenges the cooled semiconductor detectors. A hybrid array technology, exploiting ferroelectric ceramic materials is the basis of a successful range of two dimensional arrays. The success is based on hot pressed ceramic (operated in both pyroelectric and dielectric bolometer modes), and the technologies for solder bump bonding and element reticulation. Arrays have been made with up to 10⁵ elements at pitches down to 40 micrometer, thus providing high resolution in compact systems. Ferroelectrics have now been produced as thin films with high figures of merit and, once deposition techniques compatible with silicon integrated circuits have been demonstrated, these will allow a more direct array fabrication. These integrated array technologies have potential for high yield and low cost arrays of very large numbers of elements. Thermal imaging systems research has led to a signal conditioning architecture optimized for pyroelectric and dielectric bolometer arrays and exploiting the ac coupling of the ferroelectric response to the radiation. The resulting compact sensors give high image quality with low fixed pattern nose in reliable, low power formats.

Citation Download Citation

Stephen G. Porter, Rex Watton, and Kennedy Robert McEwen "Ferroelectric arrays: the route to low-cost uncooled infrared imaging", Proc. SPIE 2552, Infrared Technology XXI, (8 September 1995); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.218255

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