Monolithic Detector Array Apparatus

This invention relates to a monolithic detector array apparatus and more particularly to a monolithic detector array apparatus for detecting and imaging radiation in the infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum using an array of semiconductor diode bolometers which have been fabricated on micromachined, thermally isolated structures.

Prior art infrared detectors are thermal detectors; they operate by absorbing incident electromagnetic radiation which is usually in the infrared region, centered around ten micrometers wavelength. Thermal detectors are sensitive to all wavelengths of radiation and are sometimes used to detect other wavelengths. A thermal radiation detector functions by absorbing incident radiation and converting the incident radiation to heat. The resulting temperature rise of the detector is then converted to an electrical signal. Any measurable temperature dependent material property may be used to sense the temperature.

The prior art has fabricated solid state infrared detector arrays which operate at room temperature, including pyroelectric and ferroelectric hybrid structures and monolithic bolometer arrays. The hybrid pyroelectric and ferroelectric arrays are fabricated in two parts, one part containing the infrared detector array, and the other part containing electronic circuitry to condition the detector signals and present them sequentially to a single output, forming a video signal. The monolithic bolometer array incorporates an array of bolometer detectors fabricated on micromachined thermal isolation structures called microbridges; the readout electronic circuitry is located on the microbridge substrate. This monolithic structure, in contrast to the hybrid arrays, may be fabricated using only thin film deposition and etching techniques.

The invention provides an array of silicon diode bolometers, fabricated on micromachined thermal isolation structures known as microbridges. Each silicon diode bolometer is fabricated over a silicon substrate at a predetermined distance from the substrate. The dimensions of the silicon diode bolometers are precisely controlled to achieve desired electrical characteristics. The array of detectors are positioned such that they may be easily scanned using a column and row addressing technique.

A unique feature of this invention is that the detectors also form an essential part of the electronic readout circuitry. The detector diodes are connected in a row and column manner, with the anode of each connected to a corresponding row address line, and the cathode to a corresponding column address line.

It is one object of the invention to provide a highly integrated, high performance, low cost, infrared radiation sensitive focal plane array.

It is a further object of the invention to allow the placement of additional readout circuitry on the substrate material, which is typically a semiconductor such as silicon.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art through the description of the preferred embodiment, claims and drawings herein where like numerals refer to like elements.

FIG. 1 shows a cross section of a single detector in the array, showing the microbridge structure.

FIG. 2 is an electrical schematic of a small portion of an array, illustrating the row and column addressing scheme.

FIG. 3 shows schematically a top view of a single detector of an example embodiment of the array.

This invention uses the temperature dependence of the forward biased voltage drop of a semiconductor diode. This detector is called a diode bolometer because it is similar in some ways to a resistive bolometer detector, which uses the temperature coefficient of resistance of a material as the temperature sensitive property.

FIG. 1 shows the physical structure of a microbridge detector. The physical structure incorporates an active detector element 10. The detector element 10 is shown supported by a micromachined cantilever 12 comprised substantially of polysilicon. A space is formed below the microbridge by etching a pit beneath the microbridge structure. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the microbridge structure is positioned about 1/4 wavelength or about 2.5 micrometers above the substrate material 14; this construction provides for enhanced absorption of infrared radiation of 10 micrometer wavelength.

The microbridge structure itself consists of a number of layers, each providing a specific function. The polysilicon detector material is encapsulated above and below by a passivation layer 16, typically silicon nitride. Also included is a thin metal layer 17, typically chrome, which provides electrical connection to the detector and also serves to absorb the infrared radiation.

The detector element 10 comprises a structure which may be made with standard silicon processing; no material or processing is required other than those normally used in the fabrication of silicon integrated circuits, particularly silicon gate CMOS circuits. However, the resultant structure has not been known prior to the instant invention.

The monolithic micromachined structure of the invention is capable of giving the highest theoretical sensitivity of any known structure of this size: a D* figure value in excess of about 1.times.10.sup.9 is theoretically obtainable with a structure of the present invention. The limiting sensitivity of the detector is given by the well-known thermal fluctuation limit:

where NEP is the detector noise equivalent power, G is the thermal conductance of the detector to its surroundings, T is the absolute temperature, and k is Boltzman's constant. Typical values of G obtained with microbridge structures are generally in the range of 10.sup.-7 W/.degree.K., with a corresponding NEP of about 7.times.10.sup.-13 W/Hz.sup.1/2 and a limiting D* of about 3.5.times.10.sup.9 for a 25 micrometer square element. An array of elements with such a D* figure value is capable of detecting temperature changes in an image of about 0.01 degrees Celsius using a standard F/1 infrared optical system.

A unique feature of this invention is the use of the detectors as part of the readout or multiplexing apparatus for the focal plane array. It is well known that the temperature coefficient of the forward voltage drop of a semiconductor diode is approximately -2.5 mV/.degree.K., independent of the constituents of the diode material and fabrication, and of the diode operating current. With a nominal forward voltage drop of 0.5 Volts, this corresponds to a change in detector voltage of one half of one percent per degree Kelvin (0.5%/.degree.K.), which is substantially larger than that of a classical metal bolometer, typically about 0.3%/.degree.K.

FIG. 2 shows an electrical schematic of a 3.times.3 array of diodes constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. In one embodiment of the invention the imaging array may have 240.times.330 or more elements. The column lines 1, 2 and 3, as designated by reference characters 20, 22, and 24, respectively, are connected to the cathodes of the diodes 10A-10I in columns 1, 2 and 3, respectively. In a similar way, the anodes of diodes in the rows 1, 2, and 3 are respectively connected to the row lines 26, 28, and 30. To read the forward voltage drop of diode 10A, for example, a known current is applied to row line 1, while column line 1 is set to a negative voltage which is approximately equal in magnitude to the forward voltage drop of a diode. Column lines 2 and 3 are connected to zero volts. The voltage on row line 1 is near zero, and the voltage across diodes 10D and 10G is approximately zero. Therefore, practically all the current flowing into row line 1 flows through diode 10A as desired, and the voltage of the row line 1 is the forward voltage drop.

Diodes 10B and 10C may be biased at the same time as diode 10A by applying current to row lines 2 and 3 and monitoring the voltages on the same lines. In general, any or all of the diodes on either a row or column line may be accessed simultaneously by similar methods for any size of array. All of the other diodes have nearly zero volts applied, where they conduct very little current, and thus do not affect the operation of the array.

The signal to noise ratio of the invention is independent of the time taken to access each detector, and depends only on the temperature rise of the element. In contrast to the prior art, the individual diodes in the array need not ever be reverse biased. Therefore, the reverse leakage current of diodes, which is generally a source of excess noise, is not generated.

FIG. 3 shows a top view of a single detector of an example embodiment of the array. In this example embodiment, the invention has a passive substrate material 14. The passive substrate material may comprise silicon, gallium arsenide or germanium. Legs 18 form a microbridge structure above the passive substrate material at a contact location 19. The legs 18 support a detector element 10, which in this example embodiment comprises a silicon diode, positioned at least 2.0 micrometers above the passive substrate material 14. The detector element 10 comprises a polysilicon detector material 12, a passivation layer 16 encapsulating the polysilicon detector material 12, and a thin metal layer 17, as best shown in FIG. 1. The thin metal layer 17 provides an electrical connection and a support to the detector 10 and the contact location 19. In one embodiment, the diode may be less than 1 millimeter thick and may advantageously be about 0.5 micrometers thick.

The invention has been described herein in considerable detail in order to comply with the Patent Statutes and to provide those skilled in the art with the information needed to apply the novel principles and to construct and use such specialized components as are required. However, it is to be understood that the invention can be carried out by specifically different equipment and devices, and that various modifications, both as to the equipment details and operating procedures, can be accomplished without departing from the scope of the invention itself.