Damage Analysis of CCD Image Sensor Irradiated by Continuous Wave Laser

Abstract

EOIS(electro-optical imaging system) is the main target of the laser weapon. Specially, the image sensor will be vulnerable because EOIS focuses the incident laser beam onto the image sensor. Accordingly, the laser-induced damage of the image sensor needs to be identified for the counter-measure against the laser attack. In this study, the laser-induced damage of the CCD image sensor irradiated by the CW(continuous wave) NIR(near infrared) laser was experimentally investigated and mechanisms of those damage occurrences were analyzed. In the experiment, the near infrared CW fiber laser was used as a laser source. As the fluence, which is the product of the irradiance and the irradiation time, increased, the permanent damages such as discoloration and breakdown appeared sequentially. The discoloration occurred when the color filter was damaged and then the breakdown occurred when the photodiode and substrate were damaged. From the experimental results, LIDTs(laser-induced damage thresholds) of damages were roughly determined.