Novel pixel calibration circuit for bolometer-type uncooled infrared image sensor

Lately, research on bolometer type uncooled infrared image sensor has been increasing for industrial applications. But it is hard to remove a Fixed Pattern Noise (FPN) of bolometer sensor. In this paper, a novel average-current calibration algorithm is presented for reducing bolometer resistance offset. A resistor which is produced standard CMOS process, on the average, has a deviation, respectively. We compensate for deviation of each active resistor using average-current calibration algorithm. The algorithm consists of as follows: bolometer pixel array, average current generator, current-to-voltage converters (IVCs), digital-to-analog converter (DAC), and analog-to-digital converters (ADCs). These bolometer-resistor array and readout circuit were designed and manufactured by 0.35μm standard CMOS process.