Mega-pixel, 16-micron FPA for Space Situational Awareness Surveillance

We propose to develop a mega-pixel, long wave infrared (LWIR, 8-16 micron) focal plane array (FPA) for space situational awareness surveillance, for which the high resolution detects closely-spaced objects in a large expanse of space. It consists of 1,900x1,400 pixels of micro-antennas each coupled to a micro interferometric sensing element capable of high sensitivity, high speed, high fillfactor and high uniformity when cooled to 40K for detecting faint objects against a cold space background. It can also operate at temperatures between 40-300K for higher background detection. The large antenna area maximizes the LWIR wave reception while the micro interferometric sensing small area minimizes the thermal mass and thermal conductance for high sensitivity. The entire FPA is highly producible by conventional CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) foundries for low-cost production. Phase I will analyze and design the FPA and layout, delineate the processes for fabrication and fabricate a simple structure to demonstrate its fabricability. Phase II will fabricate the FPA and integrate it with support optics and electronics for test.