System for driving 2-D infrared emitter arrays at cryogenic temperatures

Recently there has been increased interest and development of semiconductor-based infrared (IR) LED-based emitter array devices (SLEDs), due to their ability to produce higher apparent temperatures, lower background temperatures, and much faster rise and fall times than thermal emission techniques. These devices flip chip a large CMOS driver chip onto a two-dimensional array of IR emitter devices typically fabricated on a GaSb substrate. Unfortunately, SLEDS arrays require the removal of kW-level heat fluxes while being maintained at liquid-nitrogen temperatures. Although multiple projects for construction of these IR emitter arrays are underway, currently there appears to be no cooling system available to operate these arrays at the performance level that they are capable of achieving. This paper describes efforts to develop a RIIC capable of driving a large SLEDs array, a custom cryogenic package for the array, and a top-level cryogenic testing and IR detection system.