Low cost amorphous silicon based 160 x 120 uncooled microbolometer 2D array for high volume applications

Uncooled infrared focal plane arrays are being developed for a wide range of thermal imaging applications. Developments are focused on the improvement of their sensitivity enabling the possibility to reduce the pixel pitch in order to decrease the total system by using smaller optics. We present the characterization of a 160 x 120 infrared focal plane array with a pixel pitch of 35 mum. The amorphous silicon technology is the latest one developed by CEA/LETI and transferred to ULIS to manufacture 160 x 120 2D arrays. We developed for this device a low cost package based on existing technologies. The readout integrated circuit structure is using an advanced skimming function to enhance the pixel signal exploitation. This device is well adapted to high volume process control applications where spatial resolution is less important than device costs. The electro-optical characterization is presented.