GAMMA Mid-Wave Infrared Focal Plane Array

To address the Navy’s need for a low-cost, high-performance, uncooled infrared (IR) focal plane array (FPA) sensor for applications where size, weight, and power (SWaP) are constrained, Intellisense Systems, Inc. (Intellisense) proposes to develop a new GAMMA Mid-Wave IR FPA (GAMMA FPA) based on two innovations: a novel physical principle of MWIR detection and unique integration of existing technologies. Specifically, the innovation in the application of thermal dependence of liquid crystal rotational viscosity (GAMMA) for MWIR detection offers background-limited performance at sub-millisecond exposures. The integration of mature liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) microdisplay and complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technologies enables a cost-effective solution for megapixel resolution in FPAs with very high fill factors and diffraction-limited pitch sizes, and supports rapid advances in technology readiness level (TRL). Thus, the GAMMA FPA is an ideal detector for tactical imaging applications with high dynamic range and low contrast, and is achievable in a low-SWaP format. In Phase I, Intellisense will design, model, simulate and fabricate the GAMMA FPA prototype. The prototype will be tested in the laboratory to characterize its performance in accordance with topic requirements to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed concept. The performance and SWaP of the detector array will be estimated. Intellisense will also design a Phase II prototype and develop a test plan and test procedures for Phase II prototype evaluation. In Phase II, Intellisense will optimize the design, fabricate, and test the detector array. We will detail a scalable fabrication process that provides a roadmap toward cost-effective production, conduct a trade study analysis of the array to establish the case for scalability to larger arrays, and deliver the GAMMA FPA integrated into a camera, together with test results, estimated manufacturing costs, and a plan for transition to Phase III.