A charge-coupled infrared imaging array with Schottky-barrier detectors

An IR sensitive, charge-coupled linear imaging array using palladium-silicide Schottky-barrier detectors has been designed, fabricated, and tested. Thermal scenes as low in temperature as 110° C were imaged. It was shown theoretically that in the vidicon mode of operation, nonuniformities in the transfer process and in detector capacitance do not degrade the video signal. Good uniformity was indeed obtained in this mode. A scheme for removing the background signal from the detectors before loading into the charge-coupled device (CCD) was incorporated into the design of the chip, and operation in this mode was also demonstrated. This imager, though made with a single level of metallization with gaps, had reasonably good transfer efficiency and is free of smearing and blooming.