Extended Near Infrared (eNIR) Focal Plane Array (FPA) for Out-of-Band Imaging Applications

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project seeks to develop an extended near infrared (eNIR) focal Plane array (FPA) having spectral response ranging from 0.9 µm to 2.3 µm and beyond with quantum efficiency over 80%, and dark current of <1.5 micro-A/cm2  at room temperature. The proposed FPA based image sensor will  extend imaging capability beyond standard near infrared (NIR) and shortwave infrared (SWIR – 0.9 – 1.7 µm) with high performance operation at room temperature operation without the need for cryogenic cooling nor high power and therefore enable new out-of-band capabilities for SWaP warfighter applications. The proposed e-NIR will be fabricated using of matured III-V material systems using 4 “wafer, to make it manufacturable in mass scale and yet with high electrical and optical performances for both military and commercial applications. During Phase II the proposed e-NIR detector and its array (in the form of FPA) will be designed, simulated and optimized. A test structures of single element and its array will be fabricated and evaluated to demonstrate meeting its targeted performances.  Furthermore, QVGA pixel format FPA will also be fabricated an hybridized to make an image sensor to demonstrate in camera level. In Phase III, e-NIR effort done in Phase II will be transition to manufacturing by working with commercial fabs. At the end of Phase III, the e-NIR based camera will be made and send to DoD for field applications.