Thermal mismatch accommodated infrared detector hybrid array
AssigneeAmber Engineering, Inc.
InventorJeffrey Barton
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hybrid infrared focal plane array detector employs a detector layer and transparent substrate bonded to a thin semiconductor readout integrated circuit and thicker readout circuit substrate. The readout circuit is rigidly bonded to the readout substrate to form a composite structure having a thermal coefficient of expansion substantially matching that of the detector portion. The hybrid device may be cooled from room temperature to cryogenic operation temperatures without thermal mismatch structural problems.
Claims25
A hybrid infrared detector array, comprising:
- a readout circuit substrate, having an upper major surface;
- a readout circuit chip rigidly bonded to the upper major surface of the readout circuit substrate so as to form a composite structure therewith;
- and
- an infrared detector array portion including an active infrared detector layer formed on a transparent infrared substrate, said detector array portion being bonded to and electrically connected with, said readout circuit;
- wherein the thermal coefficient of expansion of said composite structure is substantially the same as said detector array portion.
A hybrid infrared detector comprising:
- a detector composite structure comprising an active infrared detection layer formed on an infrared transparent substrate, said detector composite structure having a first coefficient of thermal expansion;
- and
- a readout composite structure bonded to said detector composite structure, comprising a readout circuit formed as an integrated circuit chip and a readout substrate rigidly bonded to said integrated circuit chip, said integrated circuit chip having a thickness less than or equal to said readout substrate, said readout composite structure having a second coefficient of thermal expansion approximately equal to said first coefficient of thermal expansion.
A method for forming a hybrid infrared detector, comprising the steps of:
- providing an infrared readout circuit formed in a semiconductor integrated circuit chip;
- mounting an infrared detector to the readout circuit, said infrared detector having an active infrared detection layer formed on an infrared transparent substrate;
- thinning the readout circuit to a thickness of from 1-20 mils;
- and
- rigidly bonding the thinned readout circuit to a readout substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.