STTR Phase I: Advanced Uncooled Infrared Detectors at the Nano-Scale

STTR 第一阶段：先进的纳米级非制冷红外探测器

• 批准号: 1010218
• 负责人: Angelo Gaitas
• 金额: $ 14.99万
• 依托单位: Kytaro Inc.
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2010-07-01 至 2011-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1010218&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: STTR; Phase; Advanced; Uncooled; Infrared

This Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I project aims to develop highly sensitive and inexpensive uncooled microbolometers using ultra-thin films of metals, metal oxides, or semi-metals. These microbolometers will be attractive for use in portable night vision devices and other thermal imaging applications that require a Noise Equivalent Temperature Difference (NETD) of less than 20 mK. We have already demonstrated metal microbolometers microfabricated from titanium thin films on SiO2/Si3N4/SiO2 cantilevers with a negative temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) as high as - 0.67%/K (which is higher than that of bulk titanium films), with a NETD of approximately 18 mK and a 1/f noise lower than that of vanadium oxide films. The TCR can be further increased to values greater than 2%/K using alternative metals, metal oxides, or semimetals. Furthermore, thin film metallic or semimetallic microbolometers have low noise characteristics and other important advantages, including a simplified fabrication process and a lower manufacturing cost.The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is to achieve low-cost and high-sensitivity infrared (IR) detection with uncooled microbolometers, which will allow the replacement of cooled IR detectors in some low-end military and civilian applications, including night vision, navigation, biological radiometry, target discrimination, spectroscopy, and thermal profiling. Microbolometers can be further scaled down to reduce each pixel?s thermal mass, allowing a faster response to a given amount of radiation, while maintaining or improving mechanical strength. By exploring other ultra-thin film materials for uncooled IR detectors, the manufacturing cost, reliability, and uniformity can be further improved during the fabrication process. This research work will also help us further understand the electrical, optical, mechanical and thermal properties of ultrathin films of metals and semimetals. The proposed activity broadens the participation of underrepresented groups, since senior research scientists involved belong to underrepresented groups. Undergraduate involvement in this project will enhance NSF?s educational goals. Finally, the results of this project will be disseminated through publications in scientific and industry journals.

这个小型企业技术转移阶段I项目旨在使用金属，金属氧化物或半金属的超薄薄膜开发高度敏感和廉价的无冷尺度计。这些微型计量机将在便携式夜视设备和其他需要噪声等效温度差（NETD）小于20 mk的热成像应用中使用。 我们已经证明了从Sio2/Si3n4/SiO2悬臂上从钛薄膜上进行的金属微晶计量机，其电阻温度系数（TCR）高达-0.67％/k（比大约18 mk和1/f bys van vand van van vanad nose van vand netd netd vand netd均高达-0.67％/k（TCR）。使用替代金属，金属氧化物或半法子，可以将TCR进一步增加到大于2％/K的值。 Furthermore, thin film metallic or semimetallic microbolometers have low noise characteristics and other important advantages, including a simplified fabrication process and a lower manufacturing cost.The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is to achieve low-cost and high-sensitivity infrared (IR) detection with uncooled microbolometers, which will allow the replacement of cooled IR detectors in some low-end military and civilian applications, including night vision,导航，生物辐射测定法，目标歧视，光谱和热谱分析。可以进一步缩放微量体计，以减少每个像素的热质量，从而使对给定数量的辐射的响应更快，同时保持机械强度或提高机械强度。通过探索其他用于未冷的IR探测器的超薄膜材料，可以在制造过程中进一步改善制造成本，可靠性和均匀性。这项研究工作还将帮助我们进一步了解金属和半法的超薄膜的电气，光学，机械和热性能。 提议的活动扩大了代表性不足的群体的参与，因为涉及的高级研究科学家属于代表性不足的群体。 本科参与该项目将增强NSF的教育目标。最后，该项目的结果将通过科学和行业期刊的出版物传播。