ADVANCED FABRICATION METHODS FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE THERMAL DETECTORS

HIGH DETECTIVITY II-VI SEMICONDUCTOR FAR-IR DETECTOR ARRAYS HAVE EXISTED FOR OVER A DECADE. THEY ARE THE ENABLING COMPONENT IN IR IMAGING DEVICES USED IN CRITICAL MILITARY SURVEILLANCE AND WEAPONS GUIDANCE SYSTEMS. HOWEVER, THERE DETECTORS ARE NOT SUITABLE FOR ALL APPLICATIONS BECAUSE THEY REQUIRE COOLING TO CRYOGENIC TEMPERATURES. CONSEQUENTLY, THERE IS A NEED TO DEVELOP NEW PROCESS TO FABRICATE IMAGING THERMAL DETECTOR ARRAYS BASED ON MATERIALS, SUCH AS PYREELECTRICS, WHICH CAN OPERATE AT AMBIENT TEMPERATURES. WE PROPOSE TO DEVELOP IMPROVED MANUFACTURING METHODS FOR THERMAN DETECTORS. OUR PATENTED JET VAPOR DEPOSITION ("JVD") PROCESS FOR THIN FILMS WILL BE USED FOR KEY FABRICATION STEPS IN MANFACTURING PROCESS. JVD HAS ALREADY BEEN USED TO PREPARE HIGH QUALITY FERROELECTRIC PZT THIN FILMS WHICH ARE PROMISING MATERIALS FOR THERMAL DETECTORS ARRAYS.