A novel LWIR/UV Sensor with Integrated Detector Multiplexing

LWIR sensing is currently uses MCT or QWIP arrays in narrow wavelength bands. For visible sensing, Si CCD’s are required and for UV, SiC arrays are used. On the other hand, lasercom is implemented with combinations of Si electronics and InP optical devices to form modular subsystems. By comparison, monolithic III-V’s circuits have the ultimate advantage of radiation hardness together with optimum weight and size. For locating and tracking, an image sensor with multiwavelength sensitivity providing redundancy and antijaming potential is desired. A new III-V integration platform is offered that enables the TX/RX functions to be fabricated within the same monolithic chip as the multi-wavelength sensor. The TX/RX uses HFET and thyristor optoelectronics with emission/detection in the 1310nm band to implement photoreceiver, oscillator, phase detector and deserializer circuits. The sensor functions uses HFET devices configured as CCD’s in the UV/visible and intersubband absorption in the bipolar with CCD readout for the LWIR detection. The combination of sensing functions and tracking electronics on the same chip as the communications OE interface allows a shared aperture, simplifying system design and improving accuracy , response time and reliability. The Phase II effort will build the first visible/IR sensing chip with monolithic TX/RX functions.