SBIR-STTR Award

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project seeks to develop an extended near infrared (eNIR) focal Plane array (FPA) having spectral response ranging from 0.9 µm to 2.3 µm and beyond. The proposed detector based image sensor will extend imaging capability beyond standard near infrared (NIR) and shortwave infrared (SWIR – 0.9 – 1.7 µm) with high performance operation at room temperature operation without the need for cryogenic cooling nor high power and therefore enable new out-of-band capabilities for SWaP warfighter applications. The proposed eNIR detector will be capable of low dark current and high quantum efficiency over the absorption spectrum. In Phase I, we will perform modeling and simulations of a novel detector structure to optimize the structural parameters, and also model and simulate additional structures that will be incorporated into the eNIR detector to enhance its performance. In Phase II, the proposed eNIR detector structure will be fabricated as a single element and as arrays and evaluated for optical performance and low noise performance. We anticipate achieving a high performance detector capable over the military temperature range and cost effective for economic mass production for dual defense and commercial imaging systems applications.

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project seeks to develop an extended near infrared (eNIR) focal Plane array (FPA) having spectral response ranging from 0.9 µm to 2.3 µm and beyond with quantum efficiency over 80%, and dark current of <1.5 micro-A/cm2 at room temperature. The proposed FPA based image sensor will extend imaging capability beyond standard near infrared (NIR) and shortwave infrared (SWIR – 0.9 – 1.7 µm) with high performance operation at room temperature operation without the need for cryogenic cooling nor high power and therefore enable new out-of-band capabilities for SWaP warfighter applications. The proposed e-NIR will be fabricated using of matured III-V material systems using 4 “wafer, to make it manufacturable in mass scale and yet with high electrical and optical performances for both military and commercial applications. During Phase II the proposed e-NIR detector and its array (in the form of FPA) will be designed, simulated and optimized. A test structures of single element and its array will be fabricated and evaluated to demonstrate meeting its targeted performances. Furthermore, QVGA pixel format FPA will also be fabricated an hybridized to make an image sensor to demonstrate in camera level. In Phase III, e-NIR effort done in Phase II will be transition to manufacturing by working with commercial fabs. At the end of Phase III, the e-NIR based camera will be made and send to DoD for field applications.