Solid State Night Vision Sensor

In Phase I, a 1280 x 1024 element InGaAs Solid State LLLTV (Low Light Level Television) Imager with 0.4- to 1.7-micron sensitivity will be developed to achieve visible (VIS) and short-wavelength infrared (SWIR) spectral range that is well matched to the nighttime sky irradiance. The extended spectral response (including the 1064 nm and 1550 nm) laser lines, allows the ability of the Solid State LLLTV imager to serve multiple purposes, including enhanced situational awareness. A high pixel density is achieved by directly bonding the detectors to readout integrated circuits (ROICs) manufactured using conventional CMOS technology. Whereas, typically detector arrays are bump bonded to ROICs, in the Phase I program, the InGaAs detector array and the Si ROIC will be bonded into a robust, monolithic structure using ‘via-less’, ‘face-to-face’, room temperature, 3D heterogeneous InGaAs die-to-Si wafer bond. Increase visible response is achieved in the InGaAs detector, but removing the Inp substrate and back-illuminating the array. In Phase I, the LLLTV’s components will be characterized first individually, and then together, and the technology’s improved image quality, reduced pixel size, and low power requirements for NVGs will be established so that in Phase II, prototypes can be delivered to AFRL for evaluation.