A solid-state image sensing device such as an IT-CCD has first and second photosensing sections which are stacked so that they separately sense visible and infrared image light components contained in input light. The visible image light component contained in image light irradiated through a transparent layer is absorbed by a silicon amorphous layer, thereby sensing a visible image. The remaining light component is transmitted through an insulative layer, and is irradiated into an n+ diffusion layer which consists of a Schottky diode and serves as the second photosensing section. The infrared image light component is absorbed in the Schottky diode, thereby sensing the infrared light image.

Visible/infrared imaging device with stacked cell structure

An improved ferroelectric imaging system comprises a chopper, lens system, ferroelectric detector matrix, anistropic heat sink, switching matrix, temperature controlled heat sink, drive and read out electronics, video processor, and display. The chopper interrupts infrared energy emanating from a scene, and the lens system focuses the chopped infrared energy on the ferroelectric detector matrix which produces electrical signals representative of the infrared energy impinging thereon. The signals are read out by the drive and read out electronics whose action is synchronized with the chopper action, processed in the video processor and displayed by the display. The ferroelectric detector matrix is a plurality of detector capacitor elements whose lower plates are metal pads formed on the lower surface of the dielectric which is a wafer of ferroelectric material. The switching matrix includes a corresponding plurality of solid state switches operatively connected to output pads, a bias source, and the drive and readout electronics. The anisotropic heat sink includes a plurality of spaced conductor rods of a preselected cross-sectional area and length. The conductor rods are grown on the output pads of the solid state switches and the lower plate capacitor pads are bump bonded to their ends. The conductor rods are either vacuum packed or glass packed depending on their mechanical strength to support the detector matrix. The conductor rods are formed by coating the switching matrix with a photoresist, patterning the photoresist, and electrodepositing metal in the pattern of photoresist. Additional layers are used where necessary to achieve the preselected length. The photoresist is then removed to leave the conducting rods in a spaced relationship. To provide additional mechanical strength the conductor rods are refilled with a glass filled photoresist, the photoresist exposed and removed to leave the glass particles which are sintered to provide a glass frit support for the conductor rods.

Ferroelectric imaging system

A multi-function imaging and tracking device is disclosed. A first Schottky diode array lying in a first plane performs a tracking and acquisition function. A second Schottky diode array lying in a second plane performs an imaging function. The first array is a low resolution, high-speed array while the second array is a high resolution, low-speed array. The second array having an operational parameter to be adjusted by the first array.

Imaging and tracking sensor designed with a sandwich structure

A series-parallel scan, IR, focal plane array which uses small InSb CID mles. The CID is used to premultiplex photocurrent through a preamplifier before the photosignal is introduced into a Si CCD TDI signal processor.

Series-parallel scan, IR, CID, focal-plane array

There is disclosed an all silicon monolithic focal plane array of infrared detectors for image detection. The structure comprises an epitaxial layer grown on an extrinsically doped silicon substrate. The detectors are formed in and extend through the substrate, the material of which is sensitive to specific wavelength infrared signals according to the dopant used in the substrate. The collection of charges takes place on a buried layer formed around a portion of the epitaxial layer-substrate interface, and the charges are then transferred through a surface layer of the same conductivity type to the surface of the epitaxial layer. The signal readout function is performed by a charge coupled device shift register constructed in the epitaxial layer by providing selectively spaced electrodes in an insulating layer. Carriers generated in the detector by incident infrared radiation are collected into the buried layer and then pass through the surface layer, are injected therefrom into the CCD shift register and are detected at the output. The monolithic construction and the use of an epitaxial layer to form the CCD shift register result in high yield and high efficiency devices. The planar surface of the device improves the aluminum step coverage for a more reliable device, and the use of the buried layer improves the fill factor of the detector.

Monolithic extrinsic silicon infrared detectors with an improved charge collection structure

Schottky barrier detector arrays for detecting the infrared portion of the spectrum connected through enhancement mode field effect transistors to a charge coupled device for read out. The system utilizes a voltage to charge conversion to provide an infrared camera device vidicon.

Andrew C Yang

Papers

Schottky barrier infrared detector arrays with charge coupled device readout