High Temperature InAsSb Short-Wave-Infrared (SWIR) to Mid-Wave-Infrared (MWIR) Photon-Counting-Integrated-Circuit (PCIC) Miniature Lipstick Camera

ABSTRACT: Infrared thermography has been increasingly used for the measurement of surface temperature and convective heat transfer characteristics of combustion engines. The infrared thermometry technique is particularly advantageous for resolving spatial and temporal surface temperature distributions non-intrusively, especially when the surface temperature changes rapidly both in space and in time. Such measurements shed light on a range of other spatially and temporally varying physical quantities in the turbulent combustion flow, and are critical for the understanding and optimization of the propulsion systems of aerial vehicles. At present, most infrared thermometry measurements of the combustion process are made from outside the combustor, due to the large size and low operating temperature of the infrared camera. We propose an infrared FPA imager with much reduced size and higher operating temperature, as well as a thermography probe for the high-temperature high-pressure harsh environment inside the gas turbine engine combustor. During Phase I, we will design, fabricate and characterize individual pixels in the Photon-Counting Integrated Circuit (PCIC) InAsSb Focal-Plane Array (FPA) for thermography. During Phase II, we will fabricate and characterize the InAsSb PCIC FPA imagers and incorporate them into thermography probes, to be delivered to DoD laboratories for evaluation and demonstration. BENEFIT: Besides MWIR sensing for engine combustion, the proposed multi-color camera is ideal for surveillance and target recognition, thermal infrared night vision, infrared security cameras, border patrol, scientific instruments, biomedical imaging, ecosystem monitoring and protection, wildlife conservation, and environment monitoring and protection.