Spectral and angular responses of microbolometer IR FPA: a characterization method using a FTIR

In order to evaluate the impact of technological evolutions on the spectral responsivity of microbolometer FPAs (Focal Plane Arrays) as well as to find out a way to estimate the mechanical stability of microbolometric pixel membranes, ULIS is proposing a new method to measuring the spectral response of the detector array over a large region (area of pixels) simultaneously. This is done by tweaking the standard protocol of a commercial FTIR (Fourier Transform InfraRed) spectrometer where the IR detector is replaced by the array to be measured. All the calculations (i.e. interferogram processing) are taken care of externally. We use this new set up to measure the angular spectral response of the detector array and to analyse the relationship between spectral response and mechanical behaviour of the pixel. Firstly the setup of this measurement is presented and some preliminary technical issues are outlined. Then we focus on the results obtained from the measurements on 17μm pitch pixels over a wide range of angles of incidence (from normal to 45° incidence). Finally, we share some theoretical insights on both those results and the inherent limitations of this protocol using a simple optical cavity model.