Uncooled long-wave infrared small pixel focal plane array and system challenges

There is a strong motivation for smaller pixels based on enduser demand for lower-cost, higher-resolution camera systems both for military and commercial applications. Uncooled detector technology fits the need for a low size, weight, and power system. We explore the trade-offs and challenges to achieving pixel designs smaller than the current 17-mu m state-of-the-art detectors without loss in sensitivity or resolution. For illustration we consider a 12-mu m design. We also address modulation transfer function issues as the pixel size shrinks, and examine the difference between the performance of present devices and the theoretical performance limit for uncooled detectors. (C) The Authors. Published by SPIE under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. Distribution or reproduction of this work in whole or in part requires full attribution of the original publication, including its DOI.