High performance VOx μ-Bolometer thermal detectors have been developed and manufactured by SCD for over a decade, with array formats of 384x288, 640x480, 1024x768, and pixel sizes of 25 and 17 μm. There is a strong requirement for lower Size, Weight and Power (SWaP) infrared detectors and systems, predominantly in the uncooled systems. Low SWaP is critical in battery-operated applications such as goggles and Thermal Weapon Sights (TWS). With this approach SCD has developed a flexible, easy to deploy, high-end uncooled thermal imaging video core. The 640x480/17μm core, oriented for wide range of low SWaP applications, has a foot-print of 31x31 mm², weight of 43 grams, power consumption of 1.1 Watt, Time to Image of 3 seconds, and sub-frame video latency. The video core has two parallel digital outputs with selectable options such as BT656, Camera-Link, 8/14 bits parallel and Glue-less VGA AMOLED interface. The new video core is based on a temperature calibrated, High-Sensitive (HS) 640x480/17μm Focal Plane Array, which is packed (without TEC) in a ceramic package of 26x23 mm² dimensions. The video core implements image processing algorithms such as Local and Global Dynamic Range Compression (DRC) and combined spatial and temporal de-noising. Shutter-less and TEC-less operation is achieved using sophisticated calibrations and image processing algorithms. The overall image is uniform, stable to temperature drifts, and with high sensitivity (NETD ≤ 32mK) and low Residual Non Uniformity (RNU).
SemiConductor Devices P.O. Box 2250, Haifa 31021, Israel
