CMOS readout integrated circuit for uncooled microbolometers without substrate temperature stabilization

A compact and low noise CMOS readout integrated circuit (ROIC) for uncooled microbolometers without substrate temperature stabilization is described. This proposed readout approach is based on the differential current mirror readout architecture. An experimental ROIC has been designed and implemented on silicon using a 0.5 µm COMS technology. The proposed circuitry allows microbolometer array non-uniformity control over a wide temperature change range of approximately 60K while maintaining better than 75 mK NETD using f/1.0 optics.