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US 9,318,517 B1Granted
Wafer level integration of focal plane arrays having a flexible conductive layer to provide an optical aperture for each pixel
AssigneeStc.Unm
InventorsJohn A Montoya, Sanjay Krishna, Stephen Myers
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus, systems, and methods related to focal plane arrays can be used in a variety of applications. In various embodiments, focal plane arrays can be fabricated on a wafer integration level based on arrangement of a flexible conductive layer for photosensitive pixels of the focal plane arrays. Arrangement of a flexible conductive layer allows for a number of architectures of focal plane arrays. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
Claims28
An apparatus comprising:
- a focal plane array having an array of photosensitive pixels, each photosensitive pixel includes:
- an electrical contact arranged to couple to a circuit external to the focal plane array;
- a photodetector conductively coupled to the electrical contact;
- and
- a contact plane conductively coupled to the photodetector and disposed on the photodetector such that arrangement of the contact plane provides an optical aperture to the photodetector, the contact plane being a flexible conductive layer.
2 more elements
A method comprising:
- fabricating a focal plane array having a having an array of photosensitive pixels, the fabrication including:
- forming a photodetection region on a substrate for each photosensitive pixel;
- forming a contact plane on the photodetection region for each photosensitive pixel such that arrangement of the contact plane provides an optical aperture to a surface of the photodetection region, the contact plane being a flexible conductive layer;
- removing the substrate;
- and
- forming a conductive plane on the photodetection region for each photosensitive pixel to provide the respective photosensitive pixel with an electrical contact to couple to an external structure, the conductive plane disposed opposite the surface forming the optical aperture.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.