No abstract

We have developed a 22 µm pitch and 320 × 240 pixel uncooled IR (infrared) image sensor. For IR detection, we utilized single crystal silicon series p–n junctions, which were fabricated on a SOI (silicon on insulator) wafer utilizing 8 inch CMOS technology and MEMS processes. The p–n junctions were passivated with buried and laminated oxide layers from wet crystalline etching of the silicon substrate. The oxide layers were also utilized to absorb the IR radiation and to form supporting beams. The partially released pixels were utilized as thermal black pixels (TBs) instead of optical black pixels (OBs) for correlated double sampling. The IR image sensor utilizing TBs obtained a thermal image of the human body stably without the smearing phenomenon.

No abstract

No abstract

We have developed a 32 μm pitch and 160 × 120 pixel uncooled infrared radiation focal plane array (IRFPA) on SOI by 0.35 μm CMOS technology and bulk-micromachining. For IR detection, we use silicon single crystal series p-n junctions which can realize high uniformity of temperature coefficient and low voltage drift. We have also developed a low-noise CMOS readout circuit on the same SOI which can calibrate the substrate temperature variation in every frame period, comparing two types of pixels, a bulk-micromachined infrared detection pixel and a non-micromachined reference pixel. Then the FPA requires no thermo-electric cooler (TEC) and is mounted on a low-cost standard ceramic package for the consumer products market.