Status of Uncooled Infrared Detector Technology at ULIS, France

J.L. Tissot; P. Robert; A. Durand; S. Tinnes; E. Bercier; A. Crastes

doi:10.14429/dsj.63.5753

J.L. Tissot ULIS, 38113, Veurey-Voroize, France
P. Robert ULIS, 38113, Veurey-Voroize, France
A. Durand ULIS, 38113, Veurey-Voroize, France
S. Tinnes ULIS, 38113, Veurey-Voroize, France
E. Bercier ULIS, 38113, Veurey-Voroize, France
A. Crastes ULIS, 38113, Veurey-Voroize, France

DOI: https://doi.org/10.14429/dsj.63.5753

Keywords: Uncooled microbolometer, LWIR, amorphous silicon technology, IRFPA

Abstract

The high level of accumulated expertise by ULIS and CEA/LETI on uncooled microbolometers made from amorphous silicon enables ULIS to develop uncooled IRFPA with 17 µm pixel-pitch to enable the development of small power, small weight and power (SWaP) and high performance IR systems. Key characteristics of amorphous silicon based uncooled IR detector is described to highlight the advantage of this technology for system operation. A full range of products from 160 x 120 to 1024 x 768 has been developed and we will focus the paper on the ¼ VGA with 17 µm pixel pitch. Readout integrated circuit (ROIC) architecture is described highlighting innovations that are widely on-chip implemented to enable an easier operation by the user. The detector configuration (integration time, windowing, gain, scanning direction), is driven by a standard I²C link. Like most of the visible arrays, the detector adopts the HSYNC/VSYNC free-run mode of operation driven with only one master clock (MC) supplied to the ROIC which feeds back pixel, line and frame synchronisation. On-chip PROM memory for customer operational condition storage is available for detector characteristics. Low power consumption has been taken into account and less than 60 mW is possible in analogue mode at 60 Hz. A wide electrical dynamic range (2.4V) is maintained despite the use of advanced CMOS node. The specific appeal of this unit lies in the high uniformity and easy operation it provides. The reduction of the pixel-pitch turns this TEC-less ¼ VGA array into a product well adapted for high resolution and compact systems. Noise equivalent temperature difference (NETD) of 35 mK and thermal time constant of 10 ms have been measured leading to 350 mK.ms figure of merit. We insist on NETD trade-off with wide thermal dynamic range, as well as the high characteristics uniformity and pixel operability, achieved thanks to the mastering of the amorphous silicon technology coupled with the ROIC design. This technology node associated with advanced packaging technique, paves the way to compact low power system.

Defence Science Journal, 2013, 63(6), pp.545-549, DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.14429/dsj.63.5753

Author Biographies

J.L. Tissot, ULIS, 38113, Veurey-Voroize, France

Mr Tissot, Jean luc joined the Infrared Laboratory of CEA/LETI in 1979 to take part in the development of HgCdTe based 2nd generation IRFPA technology that was transferred to Sofradir. He was head of the Infrared Silicon Technology Group. In 1999, he became head of Imaging Sensor Technologies Programs at CEA/LETI. He retired as Technical Director and Marketing Director of ULIS in 2013. He has published 90 papers and four patents on infrared detectors.

P. Robert, ULIS, 38113, Veurey-Voroize, France

Mr Patrick Robert received an engineering degree in microelectronics from ENSERG at Grenoble, France, in 1988. He worked with Thomson-EFCIS in the analog design of telecommunication circuits and also at Dolphin Integration for ADC design. He has been involved with infrared readout circuits design first at SOFRADIR and now at ULIS. He is now in-charge of the ROIC designers team of ULIS and recognized as Expert at ULIS.

A. Durand, ULIS, 38113, Veurey-Voroize, France

Mr Alain Durand graduated from the Engineering School of Physics of Grenoble in 1997. He joined the French Atomic Energy Commission where he worked on nuclear radiation detector systems and also at LETI on MCT based and a:Si bolometer infrared detectors developments. Presently he is working at ULIS, where he is now responsible for the test, characterization and simulation of product under development.

S. Tinnes, ULIS, 38113, Veurey-Voroize, France

Mr Sébastien Tinnes is graduated in material sciences from the Joseph Fourrier University in Grenoble. He worked earlier at SOFRADIR as packaging development engineer for large focal planes and also at ULIS R&D department as packaging development manager. Presently he is managing ULIS military product line.

E. Bercier, ULIS, 38113, Veurey-Voroize, France

Mr Emmanuel Bercier has received Engineer diploma in Optronics at POLYTECH at Faculty of Science of Orsay (Paris XI) and the College of Optics (ESO) in 1998. He joins the SOFRADIR Company as scientist, where he occupied engineer R&D’s position in characterization of components. Later he joined ULIS to occupy the management of Professional Products Line dedicated to the large volumes, where he takes the responsibility of the offer and its development specifically adapted to the sectors of the thermal imaging, safety/security, surveillance and transportation.

A. Crastes, ULIS, 38113, Veurey-Voroize, France

Mr Arnaud Crastes received his engineering diploma from Institut d’Optique Graduate School and MSc (Electro-optical system design) with honors in the same year in 1995. He worked earlier at Sagem Defense and Security (Paris) as electro-optical R&D manager and THALES where he is involved in space product development as program manager, follow by an experience in business development in MOEMS and imager based on extended InGaAs technology. Presently working as to customer support manager at ULIS. He is technical expert for ULIS and for National Research Agency as well. He has several patents and more than 35 publications in different conferences.