CHFET Readout Integrated Circuits

Next generation of infrared focal plane arrays for the Air Force space electronics must be large-format, high data rates, low power dissipation, and high radiation resistance. Gallium arsenide (GaAs) technology advances have shown the capability for producing very large scale integrated (VLSI) circuits for digital computing applications. The intent of this project is to extend this GaAs technology to the analog readout electronics. The objective of this project is to develop complementary heterostructure field effect transistor (CHFET) readout integrated circuits (ROIC) for the Air Force infrared focal plane arrays (IR-FPAs). The main advantages of GaAs CHFET readout electronics are high speed, low power, high radiation resistance, and low temperature operation. The key technical tasks (and anticipated results) of the Phase I project include: a) specification development, b) multiplexer architecture, and c) readout circuits.The primary application of this project is for the Air Force, military, and aerospace infrared sensing needs, it is applicable to many commercial microsensor needs as well. Top-Vu will generate a GaAs cell library readily applicable to high performance sensors, micromachines, signal processors and data acquisition systems for commercial industries. The GaAs cell library will be made available commercially. Our goal is to integrate these GaAs-based readout electronics with our other GaAs microsensors being developed to create powerful next generation microsystems. Top-Vu Technology has received commercialization support from the Minnesota Consortium for Defense Conversion.