Recent development of small pixel uncooled focal plane arrays at IRay

Small pixel microbolometer technology has shown dramatic improvements in uncooled infrared focal plane arrays in recent years. The uncooled microbolometer makers have transitioned through smaller pitches about every six years while maintaining a noise equivalent temperature difference (NETD) of 20-50mK. IRay commercialized 25μm pixel pitch 640×512 and 384×288 uncooled infrared focal plane arrays (IRFPAs) and 20μm pixel pitch 640×512 and 384×288 IRFPAs in the past five years. Vanadium oxide (VOx) microbolometers incorporated in these products is depicted in this paper. A 17μm pixel pitch 640×512 uncooled IRFPA with NETD of less than 35mK is also presented. The detectors are designed to enhance its manufacturability, life time, and its reliability under shock and vibration to meet security applications and Driver´s Viewer Enhancer (DVE) requirements.