Thermal infrared detection using linear arrays of poly SiGe uncooled microbolometers

In this paper, we discuss the SiGe technology for uncooled microbolometer arrays of small format, ie 200/spl times/1 and 14/spl times/14, is transferred from IMEC to XenICs allowing of the poly-SiGe arrays for application in non-contact temperature measurements, infrared spectroscopy, technological process monitoring, quality control, etc. The arrays demonstrate an exceptional uniformity, about 100% pixel yield, 100% operability, and a NETD of about 100 mK at a readout level. These advantages combined with a possibility of hermetic zero-level micropacking make the SiGe technology a proper one for the low-cost production of infrared arrays.