# US 2022/0037408 A1 · Infrared detection with intrinsically conductive conjugated polymers > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2022/0037408 A1 - Document ID: US20220037408A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/390,277 - Filed: 2021-07-30 - Published: 2022-02-03 - Earliest claimed: 2020-07-31 - Assignees: The University of Southern Mississippi; Government of the United States as Represented by the Secretary of the Air Force - Applicants: The University of Southern Mississippi; Government of the United States, as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force - Inventors: Jason D. Azoulay; Jarrett Vella; Mohammed I. Vakil; Lifeng Huang; Naresh Eedugurala - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20220037408A1 ## CPC - H10K 30/20: comprising organic-organic junctions, e.g. donor-acceptor junctions - H10K 30/81: Electrodes - H10K 30/88: Passivation; Containers; Encapsulations - H10K 39/32: Organic image sensors - H10K 71/12: using liquid deposition, e.g. spin coating - H10K 30/50: Photovoltaic [PV] devices - H10K 85/113: {Heteroaromatic compounds comprising sulfur or selene, e.g. polythiophene} - H10K 85/151: {Copolymers} - Y02E 10/549: Organic PV cells - H10K: ORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A photoconductive infrared detector comprising a substrate, an electrode geometry, and a layer of intrinsically conductive or photoconductive donor-acceptor conjugated polymer. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1 A photoconductive detector with an organic active layer comprising: a substrate; an electrode geometry positioned on the substrate and including: a first transmission line having a terminal end; a second transmission line having a terminal end, wherein the first and second transmission lines are spaced apart to define a gap, the gap between the first and second transmission lines acting as one pixel; a first layer at least partially covering the gap; and a second layer at least partially covering the polymer, wherein the second layer is configured as an encapsulant. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The photoconductive detector of claim 1, wherein the second layer is formed of one of alumina, silica, zinc selenide, germanium, barium fluoride, germanium-arsenide-selenide, gallium arsenide, glass, fused silica (“quartz”), silicon, magnesium fluoride, calcium fluoride, zinc sulphide, and magnesium aluminate. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The photoconductive detector claim 1, wherein the first layer is formed of an oligomer or polymer with a conjugated structure, narrow bandgap, is electrically conductive, and possesses open-shell character. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The photoconductive detector of claim 1, wherein the first layer is a spin-coated, donor-acceptor conjugated polymer layer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The photoconductive detector of claim 1, wherein the first layer is deposited by oxidative chemical vapor deposition. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The photoconductive detector of claim 1, further comprising: pulse capture electronics; cascaded pre-amplifier circuitry; and an analog-to-digital converter. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The photoconductive detector of claim 1, wherein the electrode geometry is biased with an RF or DC potential less than a dielectric breakdown threshold of the substrate. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The photoconductive detector of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first layer and the second layer is optically transparent. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The photoconductive detector of claim 1, further comprising: a contact pad operably coupled with one of the first and second transmission lines. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The photoconductive detector of claim 9, wherein the contact pad is formed of gold. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The photoconductive detector of claim 1, wherein the first and second transmission lines are formed of gold. ### Claim 12 A linear detector, comprising: a substrate; an m×n dimensional array of ohmic contacts fabricated on the substrate; a polymer layer at least partially covering the array of ohmic contacts; an ohmic top electrode at least partially covering the polymer layer; and an encapsulant layer at least partially covering the ohmic top electrode. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The linear detector of claim 12, wherein the substrate is an ROIC substrate. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The linear detector of claim 12, further comprising: pulse capture electronics; cascaded pre-amplifier circuitry; and an analog-to-digital converter. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The linear detector of claim 12, wherein the array is biased with an RF or DC potential less than a dielectric breakdown threshold of the substrate. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The linear detector of claim 12, wherein at least one of the polymer layer, the top electrode, and the encapsulant layer is optically transparent. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The linear detector of claim 12, wherein the polymer layer is a spin-coated, donor-acceptor conjugated polymer layer. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The linear detector of claim 12, wherein the polymer layer is deposited by oxidative chemical vapor deposition. ### Claim 19 A method of fabricating a photoconductive detector, comprising steps of: fabricating first and second transmission lines on a substrate to define a gap; spin-coating a polymer layer over at least a portion of the substrate; evaporating an encapsulant layer over at least a portion of the gap. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising a step of: removing the polymer layer from edges of the first and second transmission lines. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising a step of: fabricating a contact pad on the substrate such that the contact pad is operably coupled with one of the first and second transmission lines. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, further comprising a step of: using a solvent-soaked applicator to remove the polymer layer from the contact pad. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, further comprising a step of: using a shadow mask to prevent deposition of the polymer onto the contact pads.