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Raytheon is producing high-quality 320 x 240 microbolometer FPAs with 25 µm pitch pixels. The 320 x 240 FPAs have a sensitivity that is comparable to microbolometer FPAs with 50 µm pixels. Typical NETD values for these FPAs are <50mK with an f/1 aperture and operating at 30 Hz frame rates. Pixel operability is greater than 99.9% on most FPAs, and uncorrected responsivity nonuniformity is less than 4% (sigma/mean). These 25 µm microbolometer detectors also have a relatively fast thermal time constant of approximately 10 msec. These arrays have produced excellent image quality, and are currently fielded in a variety of demonstration systems.The pixel size reduction facilitates a significant FPA cost reduction since the number of die printed on a wafer can be increased, and also has enabled the development of a large-format 640 x 480 FPA array.Raytheon is producing these arrays with excellent sensitivity and typical NETD values of <50mK with an f/1 aperture and operating at 30 Hz frame rates. These arrays have excellent operability and image quality. Several dual FOV prototype 640 x 480 systems have been delivered under the LCMS and UAV programs.RVS has developed a flexible uncooled front end (UFE) electronics that will serve as the basis for the camera engine systems using 320 x 240 arrays. RVS has developed a 640 x 480 Common Uncooled Engine (CUE) which is intended for small pixel, high performance applications. The CUE is the ideal cornerstone for ground and airborne systems, multi-mode sensor, weapon sight or seeker architectures, and commercial surveillance.

HgCdTe APDs and APD arrays offer unique advantages for high-performance eyesafe LADAR sensors. These include: operation at room temperature, low-excess noise, high gain, high-quantum efficiency at eyesafe wavelengths, GHz bandwidth, and high-packing density. The utility of these benefits for systems are being demonstrated for both linear and area array sensors. Raytheon has fabricated 32 element linear APD arrays utilizing liquid phase epitaxy (LPE), and packaged and integrating these arrays with low-noise amplifiers. Typical better APDs configured as 50-micron square pixels and fabricated utilizing RIE, have demonstrated high fill factors (>80%), low crosstalk (<2%), excellent uniformity, low dark currents (<10nA), and noise equivalent power (NEP) from 1 -2 nW. Two units have been delivered to NVESD, assembled with range extraction electronics, and integrated into the CELRAP laser radar system. Tests on these sensors in July and October 2000 have demonstrated excellent functionality, detection of 1-cm wires, and range imaging. Work is presently underway under DARPA's 3-D imaging Sensor Program to extend this excellent performance to area arrays. High-density arrays have been fabricated using LPE and molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). HgCdTe APD arrays have been made in 5 x 5, 10 x 10 and larger formats. Initial data shows excellent typical better APD performance with unmultiplied dark current <10 nA; and NEP <2.0 nW at a gain of 10.

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