title: Dual band sensitivity enhancements of a VO(x) microbolometer array using a patterned gold black absorber.
abstract: Infrared-absorbing gold black has been selectively patterned onto the active surfaces of a vanadium-oxide-based infrared bolometer array. Patterning by metal lift-off relies on protection of the fragile gold black with an evaporated oxide, which preserves much of gold black's high absorptance. This patterned gold black also survives the dry-etch removal of the sacrificial polyimide used to fabricate the air-bridge bolometers. For our fabricated devices, infrared responsivity is improved 22% in the long-wave IR and 70% in the mid-wave IR by the gold black coating, with no significant change in detector noise, using a 300°C blackbody and 80 Hz chopping rate. The increase in the time constant caused by the additional mass of gold black is ∼15%.
authors.forename: Evan M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Deep
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Panjwani
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ginn
authors.forename: Andrew P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Warren
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Long
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Figuieredo
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Janardan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nath
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Perlstein
authors.forename: Nick
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Walter
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hirschmugl
authors.forename: Robert E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Peale
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shelton