Multi-spectral uncooled microbolometer sensor for the Mars 2001 orbiter THEMIS instrument

Raytheon IRCOE has developed a family of uncooled microbolometer FPAs. These FPAs have been designed to address commercial and high-performance military applications. The SB-211 and SB-151 are high-sensitivity 320×240 FPAs with 50 μm pixels. These FPAs have been integrated into a variety of prototype sensors including the Raytheon Long-Wavelength Staring Sensor (LWSS). The LWSS is a low power, lightweight sensor that has achieved excellent sensitivity and imaging with f/2.1 optics. Raytheon is applying the outstanding demonstrated uncooled FPA performance to the Thermal Emission imaging System IR Sensor (THEMIS) mission requirements to fabricate a nine-band multispectral imaging spectrometer to be flown on the Mars 2001 Orbiter. THEMIS is a compact, lightweight, low-power instrument that uses a 320×240 50 μm uncooled microbolometer FPA. The instrument will be used to map Martian surface mineralogy. The FPA package incorporates a precision aligned stripe filter assembly with nine bands covering the infrared spectrum between 6.2 μm and 15.5 μm. The sensor also incorporates drive and signal processing electronics that have been qualified for both total dose radiation and single-event upset. The THEMIS IR sensor utilizes the FPA, vacuum package, electronics designs developed for low-cost commercial and tactical military applications in order to minimize development costs. This sensor demonstrates the ability to produce a new-generation of low-cost, IR sensors for space applications. We will also report on a significant breakthrough in the performance of uncooled FPAs