We present the characterization of a boron doped hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) thermosensor bolometer
array for far infrared detection. The array was fabricated over a silicon wafer on a 0.4 μm silicon-nitride (Si3N4) layer.
Wet bulk micromachining was used to create pixels of suspended nitride film by removing the silicon underneath. On
this film, a boron doped a-Si:H layer was deposited using a low frequency PECVD system at 540 K. Conventional
lithography was used to define the bolometers on the nitride windows, and the 5 × 5 microbolometer array was fabricated
and characterized at 77 K. A 1.17 x 10-2 mA/W responsivity, with a temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) of
4.25%, were obtained.
We demonstrate Ge metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) photodetectors monolithically integrated with silicon-oxynitride
(SiOxNy) waveguides. Ge photodetector layer was epitaxially grown by an UHVCVD system and the
waveguide was formed on top of the Ge photodetector by PECVD. The entire process is found to be completely
compatible with the standard CMOS process. Light is evanescently coupled from silicon-oxynitride (SiOxNy)
waveguide to the underlying Ge photodetector, achieving at 2 V a responsivity of 0.33 A/W at 1.55 μm wavelength
and a dark current of 1 μA for a 10 μm long photodetector.
In this work we report our results on the study of a-GexSi1-x intrinsic films used as thermo-sensing element in
microbolometers. These intrinsic films are attractive because of their relatively high activation energy (Ea ≈ 0.37 eV) and
consequently high temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR≈ -0.047 K-1), and as well their higher room temperature
conductivity (σRT ≈ 6x10-5 (Ωcm)-1), which is of around 3 - 4 orders of magnitude larger than that of the intrinsic a-Si:H
films.
Here we present a study of fabrication and performance characteristics of two different structures of microbolometers
with a-GexSi1-x thermo-sensing films, labeled as planar and sandwich configurations. Metal electrodes were either
planar providing current flow along the thermo-sensing layer or sandwich with current perpendicular to the thermosensing
film surface. Current-voltage characteristics with and without IR illumination were performed and the
responsivity of the devices was calculated. The noise spectra of the devices was studied, that allowed to determine the
detectivity of the devices. The thermal response time was measured in the different microbolometer structures. These
data are analyzed for the different micro-bolometer configurations and are compared with published data.
Amorphous silicon germanium (a-Si1–xGex) thin films are prepared by low-frequency plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (LF PECVD) on glass substrates, from SiH4+GeF4 and SiH4+GeH4. These films are deposited under capacitive discharge during 60 min, at a frequency of 110 kHz, substrate temperature of 300°C, pressure of 0.6 Torr, and power of 350 W. The germanium gas mixture composition, determined by XGe=[GeF4]([GeH4])/[SiH4]+[GeF4]([GeH4]), is varied from 0 to 1. These films are deposited from a (1–XGe)SiH4+(XGe)GeF4(GeH4) mixture, with H2 dilution. The refractive index n and absorption coefficient are determined from transmission spectra. The optical energy gap is also determined. The influence of gas sources on the optical parameters is discussed.
An optoelectronic device that detect visible light is designed in silicon technology, peaking in 650 nm wavelength. The quadrant detector (QD) derive photocurrents by projecting a light spot on four photodiodes placed close to each other on a silicon common substrate. The photodetector is square shaped with 2.25 mm2 per active area by each quadrant and the size of the device is 9 mm2. This work describes a technology to develop position sensitive detectors of four quadrant optimizing geometry to increase sensitivity. We propose to integrate sensor into complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology in order to improve photodetector out signal, reducing noise generated when photodetector is so far from data acquisition system.
New silicon based optical sensors with a metal - insulator - semiconductor structure (MIS) are developed and investigated both theoretically and experimentally. The physical properties of these sensors are described with a model of MIS capacitor where a presence of depletion layer of electrons and an inversion layer of holes of a finite depth is taken into account. Two-level voltage bias provides a transient between two quasi-equilibrium inversion modes. This transient is applied both for storage and for readout of the input optical signal for quantitative measurements of a weak infra red radiation. Proposed simple readout procedure provides reading the integrated information with a significant amplification. The amplification (or the current transformation coefficient) is determined by the ratio of integration and readout times and it may exceed 104. A theoretical model is given to explain a behavior of the sensor under storage by thermo generated carries and by photo generated ones jointly. Numerical simulations are of an agreement with experimental investigations of proposed sensors.
In this work we present some results obtained on the design and fabrication of Schottky barrier photodetector. The derive is suitable for operation in the IR zone of the electromagnetic spectrum. This device is fabricated by using a Silicon-Germanium amorphous alloy on p-type crystalline silicon. The device operates in the range 1.0-4.5 micrometers . Also we present some optical design for applications in the device operation range wavelength.
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