Ge quantum dots on silicon for terahertz detection
Terahertz has attracted attention from both millimeter and infrared technologies. Currently, solutions consist of expensive sensor systems limiting the amount of applications. To obtain a low cost solution, one approach is to use thermistor material based on Ge on Si quantum dots on microbolometers. It has been demonstrated that SiGe monocrystalline materials have superior properties to amorphous silicon or VOx regarding the temperature coefficient of resistivity and 1/f noise. Unfortunately, the calculated critical thickness for strained SiGe material show unreasonable layer thickness for high Ge amounts. To avoid this, Ge dots instead of SiGe layers are preferred. This article focuses on optimizing the thermistor properties of Ge-dots. All samples were grown on Si (100) substrates in a temperature range of 500-650 C at 20 torr by RPCVD. They were characterized (XRD, HRSEM and AFM etc.) determining the diameter, thickness, density and uniformity. Fourier transform photoluminescence was performed to find the spatially direct (EA) and indirect (EB) bandgap transitions.
Room temperature terahertz microbolometers
We report on the development of an array of uncooled antenna-coupled microbolometer based on an amorphous silicon thermistor. The design goal is an optical bandwidth of 0.2-1 THz with a NEP of 1 pW/Hz/sup 1/2 / per pixel.
Characterization of transfer-bonded silicon bolometer arrays
In this paper we present the design, fabrication and characterization of arrays of boron doped polycrystalline silicon bolometers. The bolometer arrays have been fabricated using CMOS compatible wafer-level transfer bonding. The transfer bonding technique allows the bolometer materials to be deposited and optimized on a separate substrate and then, in a subsequent integration step to be transferred to the read-out integrated circuit (ROIC) wafer. Transfer bonding allows thermal infrared detectors with crystalline and/or high temperature deposited, high performance temperature sensing materials to be integrated on CMOS based ROICs. Uncooled infrared bolometer arrays with 18x18 pixels and with 320x240 pixels have been fabricated on silicon substrates. Individual pixels of the arrays can be addressed for characterization purposes. The resistance of the bolometers has been measured to be in the 50 kΩ range and the temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) of the bolometer has been measured to be -0.52%/K. The pixel structure is designed as a resonant absorbing cavity, with expected absorbance above 90%, in the wavelength interval of 8 to 12 μm. The measured results are in good agreement with the predicted absorbance values.