Application of carbon nanotube and graphene nanocomposites for fabrication of micro-bolometers

In this paper, we report on the use of multilayered carbon nanotubes and graphene films for the fabrication of temperature sensitive resistors. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes and graphene based films have been demonstrated to have moderate temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) and wideband IR absorption efficiency. It is demonstrated that by incorporating these nanoparticles into a thermally and electrically insulating polymer, polystyrene, the temperature sensitivity increases in Multi-walled carbon nanotubes and graphene based films. Experimental results demonstrate TCR values for these films as high as -0.7%/°K. The layers were deposited using a spraying setup without further chemical or thermal treatment. The low cost, simple, and versatile deposition process, in addition to the experimental TCR values demonstrated for these films, makes them a suitable alternative for infra-red image sensors as well as many other sensing applications.