Analysis of 320X240 uncooled microbolometer focal plane array ...

21.1 BackgroundFor the past several years, the ULTRA (Uncooled, Low cost, Technology ReinvestmentAlliance) Consortium has been developing uncooled microbolometer imaging systemwith its goal to manufacture and sell the system for military and industrial applications.The alliance of ULTRA Consortium consists of Honeywell Technology Center ofHoneywell Incorporated, the Autonetics Missile Systems Division of RockwellInternational Corporation, Inframetrics Incorporated, and the New Jersey Institute ofTechnology. A specific task is assigned to each of the group in the development of themicrobolometer imaging system. ULTRA has been funded by DARPA sponsoredTechnology Reinvestment Program grant and by corporate funding.Honeywell, the primary developer of the VOx microbolometer Uncooled FocalPlane Array (UFPA), has been transferring the microbolometer technology to Rockwell.Rockwell, with its over twenty years of IRFPA design, fabrication, and packagingexperiences, has been developing U3000 (microbolometer UFPA), and has developed anenhanced CMOS 320 x 240 multiplexer readout circuit for the array. Rockwell hassilicon Micro-Machined Device fabrication line, where the processes and equipment usedin the plant are applicable to microbolometer fabrication. A reliable low cost UFPAreadout circuit is provided by Rockwell's Semiconductor Systems division, which is aworld class commercial silicon CMOS IC producer [10]. Inframetrics, with the goal ofincorporating the uncooled technology into its product line, has been working for severalyears to develop a camera hardware and software platform for the uncooled focal planearrays. NJIT has been developing a Multi-Wavelength Imaging Pryometry system for theuncooled microbolometer sensor [3].