A high performance amorphous Si/sub 1-x/C/sub x/:H thermistor bolometer based on micro-machined structure

Abstract

A high performance micro-bridge structured thermistor bolometer of D*=8.0/spl times/10/sup 8/ cm Hz/sup 1/2//W has been realized without using vacuum packaging. The temperature change in the bolometer was simulated by a newly developed method based on laminar film theory. The calculated values were found to be in excellent agreement with the experimental data. By optimizing deposition parameters of hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide (a-Si/sub 1-x/C/sub x/:PI) thin film, we have successfully fabricated superior thermistors with a high temperature coefficient of resistance a and low electronic excess noise. The noise dramatically decreases as the amount of Si-CH/sub 3/ and C-H/sub n/ bonds in a-Si/sub 1-x/C/sub x/:H thin films decreases and as the doping level increases.