Micromachined silicon bolometers as detectors of soft X-ray, ultraviolet, visible and infrared radiation
Affiliation:
a Institute of Electronic Materials Technology, Wolczynska 133, 01–919, Warsaw, Poland
b Vigo Systems Ltd., Hery 23, 01–497, Warsaw, Poland
Abstract:
This paper presents the development of micromachined thin-film silicon microbolometers which can be used for detection of soft X-ray, UV, visible and infrared radiation. The detector structure is a 1 μm thick polysilicon/Si3N4 membrane suspended over a cavity. This structure has been obtained by anisotropic etching of silicon with a previously deposited polysilicon/Si3N4 sandwich. Alternatively, porous silicon has been used as the sacrificial layer. Devices have been characterized. Good values of the voltage responsivity and detectivity have been obtained.