GOALI: Systems Integration of Uncooled YBaCuO IR Detectors

Infrared imaging has demonstrated itself as a vital aspect of modern weapons Systems. Infrared (IR) imaging has the potential to play an equally important role in commercial applications in medicine and transportation. Automobiles equipped with infrared imaging capabilities have been envisioned for the near future. This technology has the potential to tremendously improve personal safety by enabling good vision at night and under adverse weather conditions. Infrared imagers in automobiles may also be an enabling technology for "intelligent super-highways". However, IR imaging systems currently used by the military are too costly for consumer applications. This necessitates the development of inexpensive, uncooled infrared imaging systems that possess high detectivity for night vision applications. This research investigated the integration of semiconducting YBaCuO into micromachined thermal isolation structures to produce uncooled infrared detectors. Various detector structures were developed including a self-supporting structure where the 300 to 400-nm-thick thin film YBaCuO thermometer was held above the substrate by its electrode arms producing a detector with very low thermal mass (as low as 2.3 nI/K) while maintaining an absorption of 30%. Also dual microcavity detectors were developed for to produce a relatively flat spectral response over a large optical bandwidth.