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Title: Uncooled infrared imaging using bimaterial microcantilever arrays

Abstract

We report on the fabrication and characterization of microcantilever based uncooled focal plane array (FPA) for infrared imaging. By combining a streamlined design of microcantilever thermal transducers with a highly efficient optical readout, we minimized the fabrication complexity while achieving a competitive level of imaging performance. The microcantilever FPAs were fabricated using a straightforward fabrication process that involved only three photolithographic steps (i.e. three masks). A designed and constructed prototype of an IR imager employed a simple optical readout based on a noncoherent low-power light source. The main figures of merit of the IR imager were found to be comparable to those of uncooled MEMS infrared detectors with substantially higher degree of fabrication complexity. In particular, the NETD and the response time of the implemented MEMS IR detector were measured to be as low as 0.5K and 6 ms, respectively. The potential of the implemented designs can also be concluded from the fact that the constructed prototype enabled IR imaging of close to room temperature objects without the use of any advanced data processing. The most unique and practically valuable feature of the implemented FPAs, however, is their scalability to high resolution formats, such as 2000x2000, without progressively growing devicemore » complexity and cost.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [1]
  1. ORNL
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS)
Sponsoring Org.:
Work for Others (WFO)
OSTI Identifier:
988196
DOE Contract Number:  
DE-AC05-00OR22725
Resource Type:
Conference
Resource Relation:
Conference: SPIE Defense and Security Symposium, Orlando (Kissimmee), FL, USA, 20060417, 20060421
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION; RADIATION DETECTORS; INFRARED RADIATION; DESIGN; FABRICATION; LIGHT SOURCES; PERFORMANCE; RESOLUTION; TRANSDUCERS; MASKING; READOUT SYSTEMS; uncooled; infrared; microcantilever; focal plane array (FPA); NETD; IR imaging; thermal detector

Citation Formats

Grbovic, Dragoslav, Lavrik, Nickolay V, Rajic, Slobodan, and Datskos, Panos G. Uncooled infrared imaging using bimaterial microcantilever arrays. United States: N. p., 2006. Web.
Grbovic, Dragoslav, Lavrik, Nickolay V, Rajic, Slobodan, & Datskos, Panos G. Uncooled infrared imaging using bimaterial microcantilever arrays. United States.
Grbovic, Dragoslav, Lavrik, Nickolay V, Rajic, Slobodan, and Datskos, Panos G. 2006. "Uncooled infrared imaging using bimaterial microcantilever arrays". United States.
@article{osti_988196,
title = {Uncooled infrared imaging using bimaterial microcantilever arrays},
author = {Grbovic, Dragoslav and Lavrik, Nickolay V and Rajic, Slobodan and Datskos, Panos G},
abstractNote = {We report on the fabrication and characterization of microcantilever based uncooled focal plane array (FPA) for infrared imaging. By combining a streamlined design of microcantilever thermal transducers with a highly efficient optical readout, we minimized the fabrication complexity while achieving a competitive level of imaging performance. The microcantilever FPAs were fabricated using a straightforward fabrication process that involved only three photolithographic steps (i.e. three masks). A designed and constructed prototype of an IR imager employed a simple optical readout based on a noncoherent low-power light source. The main figures of merit of the IR imager were found to be comparable to those of uncooled MEMS infrared detectors with substantially higher degree of fabrication complexity. In particular, the NETD and the response time of the implemented MEMS IR detector were measured to be as low as 0.5K and 6 ms, respectively. The potential of the implemented designs can also be concluded from the fact that the constructed prototype enabled IR imaging of close to room temperature objects without the use of any advanced data processing. The most unique and practically valuable feature of the implemented FPAs, however, is their scalability to high resolution formats, such as 2000x2000, without progressively growing device complexity and cost.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/988196}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2006},
month = {Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2006}
}

Conference:
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