The bolometric characteristic of thermally oxidized thin nickel film for an uncooled infrared image sensor

The resistivity of nano-scaled thin nickel film can be controlled so as to be applicable to MEMS-based micro-bolometric infrared image sensor technology. DC-sputtered 60 nm-thick thin nickel film on a SiO2/Si substrate was oxidized in O2 ambient. From XRD and electrical analyses, a phase transformation from the metallic nickel film to crystalline nickel oxide films was verified. The thin oxidized nickel films showed a negative TCR (temperature coefficient of resistance (above −3.22%/°C)) which is indicative of a semiconductor behavior. A 1/f noise result ranging from 1 Hz to 100 Hz was also acquired.