Multi-spectral uncooled microbolometer sensor for the Mars 2001 orbiter THEMIS instrument

Raytheon IRCOE has developed a family of uncooled microbolometer FPAs. These FPAs have been designed to address commercial and high-performance military applications. The SB-211 and SB-151 are high-sensitivity 320/spl times/240 FPAs with 50 /spl mu/m pixels. These FPAs have been integrated into a variety of prototype sensors including the Raytheon Long-Wavelength Staring Sensor (LWSS). The LWSS is a low power, lightweight sensor that has achieved excellent sensitivity and imaging with f/2.1 optics. Raytheon is applying the outstanding demonstrated uncooled FPA performance to the Thermal Emission imaging System IR Sensor (THEMIS) mission requirements to fabricate a nine-band multispectral imaging spectrometer to be flown on the Mars 2001 Orbiter. THEMIS is a compact, lightweight, low-power instrument that uses a 320/spl times/240 50 /spl mu/m uncooled microbolometer FPA. The instrument will be used to map Martian surface mineralogy. The FPA package incorporates a precision aligned stripe filter assembly with nine bands covering the infrared spectrum between 6.2 /spl mu/m and 15.5 /spl mu/m. The sensor also incorporates drive and signal processing electronics that have been qualified for both total dose radiation and single-event upset. The THEMIS IR sensor utilizes the FPA, vacuum package, electronics designs developed for low-cost commercial and tactical military applications in order to minimize development costs. This sensor demonstrates the ability to produce a new-generation of low-cost, IR sensors for space applications. We will also report on a significant breakthrough in the performance of uncooled FPAs.