<title>Micromachined VO<formula><inf><roman>2</roman></inf></formula>-based uncooled IR bolometric detector arrays with integrated CMOS readout electronics</title>

Abstract

Uncooled IR bolometric detectors fabricated using surface silicon micromachining are presented. The detector fabrication process employs a polyamide sacrificial layer, and a VO<SUB>2</SUB> thermistor layer exhibiting a thermal coefficient of resistance on the order of -3 percent/degrees C. Detector sizes are 100 micrometers X 100 micrometers and 50 micrometers X 50 micrometers , and 64 X 64 and 128 X 128 pixel arrays are fabricate. The detectors exhibit responsivities of up to 15 000 VW<SUP>-1</SUP>, normalized detectivities typically exceeding 10<SUP>8</SUP> cm Hz<SUP>1/2</SUP>W<SUP>-1</SUP>, and response times below 20 ms. Three integrated readout circuit designs for 64 X 64 and 128 X 128 pixel detector arrays, fabricated using a standard 1.5 micrometers CMOS process,a re described. These circuits include several test and detector nonuniformity correction features and can operate in either self scanning mode at a rate of 30 frames per second, or in the random access mode in which column and row addresses are input directly.