Hughes Aircraft Company

The United States of America As Represented by the Administrator of the

N John Koda

David H Alexander

Randahl B Lloyd

Michael D Jack

George H Hershman

Michael Y Pines

Yifal J Shaham

Daniel F Murphy

A pyroelectric focal plane array useful for thermal imaging applications comprises a detector (10), comprises a reticulated and aluminized pyroelectric chip (12) interfaced with a signal processor chip (14) by thermally insulating bumps (30) coated with a thin conductive layer (38) to form a plurality of thermally insulative and electronically conductive interconnections (16) between detector chips (12) and processor chip (14).

Thermally insulative and electrically conductive interconnect and

An improved photosensor film and liquid crystal light valves embodying said film is provided. The photosensor film and liquid crystal light valve is characterized by a significant lower image retention time while maintaining acceptable photosensitivity. The photosensor film is produced by sputter depositing CdS onto an ITO substrate in an atmosphere of aqrgon/H.sub.2 S gas while maintaining the substrate at a temperature in the range of about 130.degree. C. to about 200.degree. C. and while introducing nitrogen gas into the system to the extent of not more than about 1% of plasma mixture. Following sputter deposition of the CdS, the film is annealed in an inert gas at temperatures ranging from about 300.degree. C. to about 425.degree. C.

Liquid crystal light valve structures

A monolithic imager utilizing a plurality of detector cells for detecting the presence of radiation and producing a two dimensional mapping thereof. The detector cells are arrayed in a matrix having a square center surrounded by a number of polygonal rings so that a relatively high resolution mapping of detected radiation is achieved at the center of the imager.

Monolithic imager

A monolithic imager utilizing a plurality of detector cells is formed on a common intrinsic substrate. Backside illumination in the near-IR region generates hole-electron pairs in the intrinsic material which may be depleted throughout its thickness by CCD-range voltages applied by the imager's readout structure to a over-lying, thinly doped epitaxial layer. Minority carriers migrate toward a collection node which is formed in the epitaxial layer (and protrudes into the substrate), accumulating in an inversion layer at the surface of the epitaxial layer. The accumulated charge is advanced to an output diffusion in the epitaxial layer by means of a readout system which provides semi-random addressing of the transfer gate electrodes of the individual detector cells.

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Vista, CA, United States of America

N John Koda