Short-wave infrared, medium-wave infrared, and long-wave infrared imaging study for optical readout microcantilever array infrared sensing system

Abstract

Abstract. We aim to study the short-wave infrared (SWIR), medium-wave infrared (MWIR), and long-wave infrared (LWIR) imaging ability based on optical readout bimaterial microcantilever focal plane array (FPA) uncooled infrared imaging system. First, the principle of the bimaterial microcantilever sensing and the fabrication of the microcantilever array are introduced. Second, the optical-thermal-mechanical sensing theories based on the FPA are given. Finally, an optical readout microcantilever FPA infrared imaging system is developed for SWIR, MWIR, and LWIR imaging experiments. The experimental results show that the system can acquire the clear images of the SWIR, MWIR, and LWIR targets. Subject terms: bimaterial microcantilever; optical readout; short-wave infrared imaging; medium-wave infrared imaging; long-wave infrared imaging.

Microthermomechanical infrared sensors

“…Activities have been transferred meanwhile to the Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT) and the Peking University and are still on going in 2013 [106], latest on tri−band detection (SWIR+MWIR+LWIR) [107]. Within the 10 years of academic activities more than 30 articles have been published.…”

“…In 2009 the USTC/CAS group has published their final paper [111] with achievements of a 60 μm pitch 160×160 pixel substrate−free FPA, read out with a 4f optical configuration using a knife−edge filter, with a performance of 330 mK NETD, 16 ms time constant and 30 Hz 12−bit imaging (CCD) [112]. Since 2009 numerous articles were published by BIT and the Peking University addressing THz detection [113], signal processing impro− vement techniques [114] and tri−band detection [107].…”