Non-contact interconnect for focal plane arrays

Abstract

A focal plane array uses non-contact electrical interconnects instead of indium bumps. The interconnect bump comprises one or more vacuum microelectronics devices. The non-contact interconnect provides no themally conductive path between the detector and readout. For thermal detectors, the detector is not thermally connected to the readout and thus undergoes larger temperature changes in response to infrared radiation. For cryogenically cooled detectors, the detector and readout each have separate heat sinks with separate temperature controls. The readout may thus be operated at a higher temperature than the detector. The non-contact interconnect eliminates heat leakage from the readout to the detector enabling a thermal gradient to be maintained simultaneously with a net savings in refrigerator power. The non-contact interconnect also allows for differences in thermal expansion between the detector and the readout and thus increases the reliability of the focal plane array.