Westinghouse Electric Corporation

Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation

United States of America As Represented by the Secretary of the Air Force

Nathan Bluzer

James Halvis

Donald R Lampe

Francis J Kub

Paul A Tittel

Bron R Frias

Arthur S Jensen

Robert R Shiskowski

Robert Shiskowski

Glenn D Boreman

Li-shu Chen

Paul R Malmberg

Silai V Krishnaswamy

Joseph Terence Smith

Philip C Smith

Maurice H Francombe

Dieter K Schroder

Alfred Paul Turley

Gerald M Borsuk

Shu-Yau Wu

Martin G Forrester

Brian Lail

Peter Martin Krenz

Ernie Richards

David C Harms

A focal plane staring sensor is provided that includes an M&#xd7;N sensor, where M is a number of rows of sensor pixels in the sensor and N is a number of columns of sensor pixels in the sensor, where M and N are integers greater than one. A control circuit samples in each sensor pixel value for each sensor pixel of the M&#xd7;N sensor at a plurality of different integration times corresponding to an amount of time that a photonic charge can be acquired in each sensor pixel of the M&#xd7;N sensor, wherein the control circuit selects in each sensor pixel one sample from a set of samples to generate a scaled value to facilitate an equalization of a signal to noise ratio between the sensor pixels.

Staring focal plane sensor systems and methods for imaging large dynamic range scenes

A high sensitivity, high speed, and low noise, semiconductor non-destructive read-out (NDRO) device () for the conversion of a generated signal charge () into an output voltage having provisions for charge integration, charge transfer, and nondestructive charge read-out without kTC reset noise. The read-out device () includes charge sensing potential wells (), a MOSFET having a gate (), a source (), and a drain (), a feedback amplifier (), a current generator (), a reset gate (), a reset drain (), a multiplexer gate (), and a pair of adjacent CCD transfer gates (and). CMOS detector pixels with this NDRO form a compact structure for integrating generated charge, and high sensitivity readout, without kTC reset noise. The NDRO in CCD devices provides a fast sensitive charge to voltage transducer without kTC reset noise. Connecting several NDRO stages in series () provides multiple readout of a pixel to further improve sensitivity and performance of charge to voltage transduction.

CMOS and CCD sensor R/O with high gain and no kTC noise

A scanning focal plane sensor and method are described for image capturing of object space (or scenes). In one example, a focal plane sensor for a scanning imaging system is provided. The focal plane sensor for a scanning imaging system includes M&#xd7;N Time Delay Integration (TDI) imaging Charge Coupled Device (CCD), where M is a number of TDI columns and N is a number of TDI stages per each column. A detector is connected to each TDI stage. The focal plane sensor includes an imaging controller configured to mechanize sampling the brightness value of each sensor pixel's initial footprint in object space and select a number of charge integrating TDI stages for substantially equalizing the inter sensor pixels' signal to noise ratios.

Scanning focal plane sensor systems and methods for imaging large dynamic range scenes

A focal plane staring sensor is provided that includes an M&#xd7;N sensor, where M is a number of rows of sensor pixels in the sensor and N is a number of columns of sensor pixels in the sensor, where M and N are integers greater than one. A control circuit samples a sensor pixel value for each sensor pixel of the M&#xd7;N sensor at a plurality of different integration times corresponding to an amount of time that a photonic charge can be acquired in each sensor pixel of the M&#xd7;N sensor, wherein the control circuit selects one sample from a set of samples to generate a scaled value to facilitate an equalization of a signal to noise ratio between the sensor pixels.

A charge coupled device imager, which can operate in time delay and integration mode, can be adapted to include variable columns having one or more blocking gates or other barriers that can be independently controlled and used to divide a used portion from an unused portion. The blocking gates may require less power to electrically insulate used from the unused sections. In this regard, an imager's charge handling capacity and dynamic range can be improved, while lowering CCD operating power requirements. Blooming drains can also be included to enhance the functionality of the imager and enable bidirectional imaging capability.

Variable charge coupled device focal plane array

Electro-thermal feedback is utilized for reducing the effective thermal conductance between the detector stage of a bolometer pixel in a thermal radiation sensor assembly and the environment through its mechanical support structure and electrical interconnects, thereby coming closer to achieving thermal conductance limited primarily through photon radiation. Minimization of the effective thermal conductance associated with the mechanical support structure and electrical interconnects is achieved by electro-thermal feedback that adjusts the temperature of an intermediate stage and the mechanical support structure and electrical interconnects, connecting it to the detector stage, to equal the temperature of the bolometer pixel's detector stage (i.e., by active thermal isolation). Increased temperature sensitivity is preferably achieved through temperature sensing with reverse biased Schottky diodes connected in series.

Series diode electro-thermal circuit for ultra sensitive silicon sensor

An Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) gate charge coupled device (CCD) is provided. The CCD device comprises a CCD structure having a substrate layer, an oxide layer over the substrate layer, a nitride layer over the oxide layer and a plurality of parallel ITO gates extending over the nitride layer. The CCD device further comprises a plurality of substantially similarly sized channel stop regions in the substrate layer that extend transversely relative to the ITO gates, such that a given pair of channel stop regions defining a pixel column of the CCD structure. The CCD device also comprises a plurality of vent openings that extend through the nitride layer along the plurality of substantially similarly sized channel stop regions to allow for penetration of hydrogen to at least one of the oxide layer and the substrate layer.

Indium tin oxide gate charge coupled device

A method of manufacturing a micro-electrical-mechanical system with thermally isolated active elements. Such a system may embody a bolometer, which is well suited for detecting electromagnetic radiation between 90 GHz and 30 THz while operating at room temperature. The method also discloses a generalized process for manufacturing circuitry incorporating active and passive micro-electrical-mechanical systems in a silicon wafer.

Method of manufacturing a micro-electrical-mechanical system with thermally isolated active elements

A thermal radiation sensor is disclosed wherein a semiconductor thermocouple comprised of a pair of silicon diodes is connected in back-to-back relationship, with one of the diodes being located in a detector stage. The other diode is located in a heat bath stage together with a sensed temperature difference amplifier. The detector stage is thermally isolated from the heat bath stage by a low thermal conductivity link that includes electrical wires which connect the back-to-back diodes to the amplifier.

Sensitive silicon sensor and test structure for an ultra-sensitive silicon sensor

Hybrid microantennas and improved sensor structures incorporating hybrid microantenna embodiments are described herein. A hybrid long-wave infrared (LWIR) microantenna includes four inner pie-shaped arms in which the four inner pie-shaped arms are in a double bow-tie configuration and a plurality of outer pie-shaped arms in which a subset of the outer pie-shaped arms is connected to the four inner pie-shaped arms and the pie-shaped arms are sensitive to electric fields and absorb radiation.

Ultra-sensitive silicon sensor, long-wave infrared microantenna

A bolometer type ultra-sensitive silicon sensor pixel of a multi-pixel sensor wherein each pixel includes a detector stage, an intermediate stage, and a heat bath stage. The detector stage, the intermediate stage and a portion of the heat bath stage are generally co-planar and are interconnected by I-beam bridges so as to permit mutually co-planar rotation in response to stress and strain. Electrical coupling is improved between a micro-antenna and the detector stage by a two stage transformer assembly that couples the micro-antenna to the detector stage.

Two stage transformer coupling for ultra-sensitive silicon sensor pixel

A bolometer type focal plane is made up of a plurality of silicon sensors. Within each sensor, interconnection between co-planar stages is provided by elongated 'I' beam type bridge members having a generally rectangular cross-section including unequal wider (height) and narrower (width) dimensions, and wherein the bridge members are oriented such that the narrower width dimension is in the direction of the common plane and the wider height dimension is perpendicular to the common plane. A sensor with these bridges accommodates stress/strain by rotation while preventing out-of-plane deflection and deformation.

'I' beam bridge interconnection for ultra-sensitive silicon sensor

An FET (field effect transistor) having source, drain and channel regions of a conductivity type in a semiconductor body of opposite conductivity type. The channel region is located at the lower extremity of the source and drain regions so as to be spaced from the surface of the semiconductor body by a distance d.

Low noise field effect transistor

An electrical interface between a scene to be imaged and a bolometer type sensor is disclosed. Efficiency is improved by means of a thermal energy concentrator including a lens and an antenna. Where a plurality of bolometer pixels are located in an array, a microantenna is provided for each pixel in the array with a common lens being provided to focus and channel incoming radiation to each microantenna. Radiation from a scene is further coupled by means of a lens and microantenna to the absorbing element of each bolometer through an AC coupling circuit including an electronic chopper implemented by means of a PIN diode, the conductivity of which is varied so as to affect the reflection coefficient of the input signal supplied through the microantenna.

Focal plane antenna to sensor interface for an ultra-sensitive silicon sensor

A readout circuit for a bolometer type sensor including a pair of back-to-back temperature sensing diodes connected in an electro-thermal feedback loop including a semiconductor amplifier circuit located in an intermediate stage between a detector stage and a heat bath stage and wherein the heat generated by the amplifier equalizes the temperature between the intermediate stage and the detector stage. The readout circuitry also includes circuitry for removing local threshold voltage variations and low frequency 1/f noise components in the readout signal while providing high temperature sensitivity and relatively high voltage gain.

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Rockville, MD, United States of America

Nathan Bluzer