Cooled Bolometer IR Monolithic FPA, Phase I

Future space-based observatories imaging in the 4-40 ìm spectral regime will be passively cooled. The objective of this research effort is to demonstrate near theoretical performance of bolometer-based infrared focal plane arrays (FPAs) covering the 4-40 ìm wavelength region by operating the FPA at reduced temperature. Amorphous silicon-alloy resistive bolomoters exhibit increased temperature coefficient of resistance when cooled below room temperature and are well suited for operation over the 30K-200K detector temperature range. Detector process optimization will allow performance levels close to theoretical limits. The cooled bolometer is compatible with advanced readout technologies, such as switched capacitor integrators, offered by Black Forest Engineering. The amorphous silicon-alloy bolometer process, optimized on Phase I for cryogenic operation, will be a basis for future large formant monolithic 1024x768 format FPAs fabricated on Phase II to support NASA passively cooled imaging applications and DoD/commercial cryo-cooled systems.

Potential NASA Commercial Applications: The cooled amorphous silicon alloy FPA achieves high performance with reduced thermal isolation. This allows high performance to be achieved with a fast thermal time constant and resultant fast frame rates. A micro-scanned version of the cooled bolometer FPA (optimized for 120-240 frames per second while maintaining high sensitivity) is ideal for micro-scanned forward looking infrared (FLIR) applications where high resolution is required with small optical assemblies.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

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