The desire for larger and larger format arrays for astronomical observatories -both ground and space basedhas fueled the development of detector, readout, and hybrid Focal Plane Array (FPA) technology that has paved the way for later development of tactical and strategic arrays for military applications. Since 1994, Raytheon has produced megapixel readouts and FPAs for Infrared Astronomy. In 1999 Raytheon demonstrated a revolutionary approach to photolithography called Reticle Image Composition Lithography 1 (RICL) that opened the door to very large format FPAs in state of the art sub-micron CMOS processes. The first readout processed using the patented RICL technique was a 4.2 megapixel readout for astronomy.We present the design and performance of several 4.2 megapixel (2048 x 2048) readout arrays for visible and infrared astronomy applications. The first of these arrays are fabricated in a workhorse 2 µm CMOS process that is optimized for low temperature operation (down to as low as 6 Kelvin). Most recently Raytheon has developed a scaleable 2,048 x 2,048 high density array for several ground based astronomical applications. This array can be manufactured in any m x n multiple of a basic 1024 (V) x 512 (H) pixel array core. The primary design is a 2 x 4 array to yield a 2,048 x 2,048 format array. This same design can be extended to at least a 4,096 x 4,096 format array -an incredible 16.7 megapixel array! These readouts are compatible with a wide range of detector types including InSb, HgCdTe, and Si detectors. The use of hybrid technology -even for the visible wavebands -allows 100% optical fill factors to be achieved. The design and performance of these megapixel class detectors, readouts, and FPAs will be presented.

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Until recently, very large focal plane arrays (> 1K x 1K pixels) could only be fabricated using low density ≥ 2 µm CMOS processes employing full wafer projection lithography. Higher density processes use steppers to expose the patterns on the wafer which have limited the die size to the area able to be exposed in a single step. This placed an upper limit on the readout die size of about 18-22 mm along a side. While stitching techniques have been used to pattern larger die, most silicon foundries are unwilling to accept such projects. Raytheon has recently pioneered a foundry friendly technique that allows an arbitrarily large readout to be fabricated using advanced submicron (0.6 to 0.8 µm) and deep submicron (0.25 to 0.35 µm) CMOS processes.In July 1998, Raytheon fabricated a 2,052 x 2,052 readout with 25 µm x 25 µm pixels for a low background astronomy application. This readout was 54.7 mm x 54.7 mm in size -more than 4x the area of the 22 mm x 22 mm mask size. In 1999, Raytheon has produced two different tactical imaging InSb FPAs in > 1K x 1K formats using pixel sizes ranging from 20-25 µm. These tactical FPAs have been processed in a triple metal, 0.5 µm CMOS process and range in size from 23 mm x 23 mm to nearly 40 mm x 40 mm.Excellent FPA uniformity and sensitivity have been measured on a 1,344 x 1,344 InSb FPA. An f/2.0 NE∆T of 25 mK with an operability of > 99.9% has been achieved. The array uniformity is also outstanding with an uncorrected responsivity sigma/mean of only 3.2% and an offset non-uniformity of only 1.4% of full swing. This FPA has a charge capacity of over 31 million carriers and can be operated at frame rates up to 30Hz.