Monolithic Dual Band Sensor

The objective of this project is to begin the design of a very large monolithic dual band 3-5 um and 8-12 um infrared focal plane array (IRFPA) and undertake critical experiments to support the design. The fabrication of IR sensors directly on the Si readout and their interconnection with conformal thin films as a monolithic IRFPA eliminates hybridization and provides the opportunity of making more reliable, larger, and lighter single and multicolor IRFPAs. Conformal thin films can also significantly reduce blind regions at the edge of the array. This effort will plan the architecture for the dual band monolithic IRFPA, determine the most promising materials for the two bands, provide a preliminary layout of the dual band unit cell, describe a preliminary process for fabricating the monolithic two color IRFPA, and plan and undertake critical material, detector and interconnect experiments. Defense applications include IR search and track systems, upgrading missile systems and IR reconnaissance systems. Commercial applications include robotics, processing control and surveillance by police, border patrols and security agencies.