Title

Antenna-Coupled Microbolometer Arrays With Aerogel Thermal Isolation

Keywords

Antenna-coupled detectors; Infrared focal plane array; Microbolometer; Silica aerogel

Abstract

Uncooled bolometric detectors used in infrared imaging systems have slow response times (∼10 ms) which makes them impractical for fast-frame-rate applications. Antenna-coupled microbolometer arrays have been shown to have fast response times (∼130 ns) and can be used as picture elements in infrared imaging systems but lack sufficient responsivity. Thermal isolation of antenna-coupled microbolometer arrays will increase its responsivity but will also increase its response time. Thermal isolation can be achieved using silica aerogel as a substrate, and its porosity can be used to modify the thermal conductivity down to values lower than air. In this paper antenna-coupled microbolometer arrays were fabricated on a substrate coated with a thin film of aerogel, noise, response and radiation characteristics were measured and compared to similar devices fabricated on a SiO2 substrate. The measured signal-to-noise ratio of devices fabricated on aerogel were one order of magnitude higher than devices fabricated on SiO2 and had time constants around 5 μs. © 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Publication Date

1-1-2004

Publication Title

Infrared Physics and Technology

Volume

45

Issue

1

Number of Pages

47-51

Document Type

Article

Personal Identifier

scopus

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.1016/S1350-4495(03)00177-4

Socpus ID

0345328821 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/0345328821

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