Texas Instruments Corporation

Raytheon Ti Systems, Inc.

Raytheon Company

Sebastian R Borrello

Roland W Gooch

Mark V Wadsworth

Charles G Roberts

Peter D Dreiske

Luigi Colombo

Malcolm John Bevan

Donald F Weirauch

Herbert F Schaake

Carlos A Castro

Kent R Carson

Jimmy D Sawyer

A multiple color infrared detector is provided which is formed from a photodiode (13), a photoconductor (24), and an insulating layer of material (20) disposed between the photodiode (13) and the photoconductor (24). The photodiode (13) detects infrared radiation in the spectral band between about 3 .mu.m and about 5 .mu.m, and the photoconductor (24) detects infrared radiation in the spectral band between about 8 .mu.m and about 13 .mu.m

Multiple color infrared detector

This is a sensor for, and a method of, determining if a particular type of flame is present, using at least two uncooled HgCdTe detector films on a common IR transmissive substrate. Specific examples of the types of radiation which can be identified include gasoline flames, natural gas flames, and organic combustion flames (identified, e.g., by comparing the amount of combined carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide to the amount of water vapor). The ratio of carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide can also be determined. The sensor can include a first HgCdTe filter (88) on a common IR transmissive substrate (42), a first uncooled HgCdTe detector film (86) over the first filter (88), and a second uncooled HgCdTe detector film (92) on a CdTe insulator which is either on the first uncooled HgCdTe detector film, or on a second HgCdTe filter (94) provided on the common IR transmissive substrate.

Uncooled infrared sensors for the detection and identification of

A multiple color infrared detector is provided which is formed from a photodiode (13), a photoconductor (24), and an insulating layer of material (20) disposed between the photodiode (13) and the photoconductor (24). The photodiode (13) detects infrared radiation in the spectral band between about 3 .mu.m and about 5 .mu.m, and the photoconductor (24) detects infrared radiation in the spectral band between about 8 .mu.m and about 13 .mu.m.

A preferred embodiment of this invention is a hybrid semiconductor imaging structure comprising a high speed signal conditioning substrate (e.g. Si 12) and an imaging substrate (e.g. HgCdTe 10) mounted on the conditioning substrate using an adhesive layer (e.g. epoxy 31). Infrared-sensitive time delay and integration CCD columns (14) charge coupled to sense nodes (e.g. diodes 16) are disposed in the imaging substrate. High speed signal processing channels (e.g. capacitive transimpedance amplifier 18, correlated double sampling circuit 20 and multiplexing shift register 22) are disposed in the conditioning substrate. The sense nodes are connected to the signal processing channels with low capacitance hybrid leads (e.g. Al 17).

Hybrid CCD imaging

A preferred embodiment of this invention is a hybrid semiconductor imaging structure comprising a high speed signal conditioning substrate (e.g. Si 12) and an imaging substrate (e.g. HgCdTe 10) mounted on the conditioning substrate using an adhesive layer (e.g. epoxy 31). Infrared-sensitive time delay and integration CCD columns (14) charge coupled to sense nodes (e.g. diodes 16) are disposed in the imaging substrate. High speed signal processing channels (e.g. capacitive transimpedance amplifier 18, congelated double sampling circuit 20 and multiplexing shift register 22) are disposed in the conditioning substrate. The sense nodes are connected to the signal processing channels with low capacitance hybrid leads (e.g AI 17).

Hybrid signal conditioning/infared imaging structure

A hybrid semiconductor imaging structure comprising a high speed signal conditioning substrate (e.g. Si 12) and an imaging substrate (e.g. HgCdTe 10) mounted on the conditioning substrate using an adhesive layer (e.g. epoxy 31). Infrared-sensitive time delay and integration CCD columns (14) charge coupled to sense nodes (e.g. diodes 16) are disposed in the imaging substrate. High speed signal processing channels (e.g. capacitive transimpedance amplifier 18, correlated double sampling circuit 20 and multiplexing shift register 22) are disposed in the conditioning substrate. The sense nodes are connected to the signal processing channels with low capacitance hybrid leads (e.g A1 17).

A method and structure are provided for internal photoemission detection. At least one groove (30a) is formed in a side of a semiconductor layer (32). A silicide film (58) is formed in each groove (30a) over the semiconductor layer (32). A metal contact region (44) is electrically coupled to the silicide film (58) such that a voltage at the metal contact region (44) indicates an intensity of radiation incident on the structure (28).

Structure and method internal photoemission detection

An infrared detector in the form of a focal plane array containing infrared detectors of two sensitivity types is disclosed. The detectors may be based on alloys of HgCdTe with cutoff wavelengths of 5 microns and 10 microns. The two types of detectors are in close proximity and thereby avoid the time delay problem. The two spectral sensitivities make possible the determinaton of spectral signatures and target identification. Further, the two types of detectors are arrayed to permit use of a single set of read lines together with electronic addressing for selecting the detector type, thereby simplifying the output structure and processor design.

Two color infrared focal plane array

A method and an apparatus which permits use of a metal-insulator-semiconductor device as an infrared detector. A single layer of metal is provided having an extremely thin portion through which infrared radiation can pass and a thick portion through which infrared radiation cannot pass. Both of these portions together form the MIS (metal-insulator-semiconductor) gate. A voltage is applied to the metal which creates a potential well within the semiconductor substrate below. When the device is exposed to infrared radiation the radiation, causes photons to pass through the thin portion of the MIS gate and generates a charge within the potential well. The thick portion of the MIS gate shields the semiconductor substrate from photons so that no charges are generated in the potential well which is located below this portion of the metal layer. This provides a charge storage region so that the charge which is generated under the thin gate can be stored in the entire potential well created by the gate as a whole. This results in an MIS device having a detector cell which can be several times larger than photon sensitive dimensions. In effect, each detector element can have a storage capacity of a gate biased to ten volts or more. A three design is also disclosed which has the detection region separated from the storage region.

Mis infrared detector having a storage area

The disclosure relates to a photodetector, primarily for use in the infrared range, wherein a portion of the metal layer forming the gate is eliminated, resulting in no metal absorption loss and no differential tunnel breakdown. The system operates by establishing a fixed charge density at the semiconductor-insulator interface to create near flat band voltage in the open or hole area. No potential well is formed under the hole in the gate to collect charge so the metal gate formed around the hole controls the surface potential. Carriers generated in the hole area diffuse and drift to the potential wells created beneath the thick metal gate which surrounds the hole.

High efficiency MIS detector

Disclosed is a phototransistor comprised of an indium arsenide n-type semiconductor substrate, a thin, relatively lightly doped p-type cadmium diffused region in the substrate forming a photosensitive diode junction, and a metal film in rectifying contact with the p-type diffused region to form a Schottky barrier. The method for fabricating the transistor comprises producing the shallow cadmium diffusion, etching the surface of the diffused region to a predetermined depth to reduce the doping level and the surface oxide level, and depositing the metal film on the etched surface of the diffused region.

Schottky barrier phototransistor

A thermal energy receiver is disclosed comprising a cooling means for cooling an infrared detector including a detector array for producing electrical representations of thermal energy radiating from a scene and an array of cold shields providing an individual cold shield aperture for substantially shielding each detector element of the array from energy generated outside the solid angle subtended by the optical elements, and electro-optics for converting the electrical output of the detector array to visual signals for displaying the scene.

Growing community of inventors

Dallas, TX, United States of America

Sebastian R Borrello