Infrared image detecting device and method

Claim 2

An infrared (IR) imaging device, comprising: a first detector array including a plurality of internal photoemission IR detector elements arrayed to have a predetermined arrangement; a second detector array including a plurality of internal photoemission IR detector elements arrayed to have said predetermined arrangement; said first and second detector arrays each including a substrate in which are disposed said plurality of detector elements forming a top surface of said first or second detector array, a surface of said substrate remote from said plurality of detector elements being a bottom surface of said first or second detector array; said first detector array mounted on said second detector array such that one of the top and bottom surfaces of said first detector array confronts the top surface of said second detector array and each of said plurality of detector elements of said first array is aligned and paired with a corresponding one of said plurality of detector elements of said second array; each of said first and second detector arrays including functional detector elements, among said plurality of detector elements, from which image information can be read out; and read-out circuit means, coupled to preselected ones of the functional detector elements of said first and second detector arrays, for reading out image information from at least one preselected functional detector element of each pair of corresponding detector elements of said first and second detector arrays.

Claim 3

The IR imaging device of claim 1 wherein the top surface of said first detector array confronts the top surface of said second detector array.

Claim 4

The IR imaging device of claim 2, further including: first electrical contact means, disposed in the top surface of said first detector array, for coupling to the preselected functional detector elements of said first array; the top surface of said second detector array including a peripheral region extending beyond a portion of the top surface of said second detector array covered by said first detector array; second electrical contact means, disposed in the top surface of said peripheral region, for coupling to said readout means; and means for conductively coupling together said first and second electrical contact means.

Claim 5

The IR imaging device of claim 3 wherein said conductive coupling means is a jumper wire.

Claim 6

The IR imaging device of claim 3 further including third electrical contact means, disposed in the top surface of said peripheral region, for coupling to the preselected functional detector elements of said second array; and means for conductively coupling together said second and third electrical contact means.

Claim 7

The IR imaging device of claim 3 wherein said first contact means comprises a first set of bonding pads; a second set of bonding pads disposed in the top surface of said second detector array in alignment with and confronting corresponding ones of said first set of bonding pads; said second contact means comprising a third set of bonding pads; said second set of bonding pads respectively conductively coupled to corresponding ones of said third set of bonding pads; and bump bonding means, disposed between said first and second sets of bonding pads, for conductively coupling the corresponding ones of said first and second sets of bonding pads.

Claim 8

The IR imaging device of claim 3 wherein the bottom surface of said second detector array is polished and is a radiation receiving surface of said IR imaging device.

Claim 9

The IR imaging device of claim 2 wherein each said internal photoemission IR detector element is a Schottky barrier type IR detector comprising a silicon compound.

Claim 10

The IR imaging device of claim 2 wherein each of said plurality of detector elements of said first and second detector arrays is a Schottky barrier type IR detector comprising IrSi or PtSi.

Claim 11

The IR imaging device of claim 2 wherein each of said plurality of detector elements of said first and second detector arrays is a free carrier absorption type IR detector comprising silicon or a silicon compound.

Claim 12

The IR imaging device of claim 1, wherein said predetermined arrangement includes each of said first and second detector arrays being arranged as a set of subarrays, each subarray of said first detector array being aligned with and paired with a corresponding one of the subarrays of said second detector array.

Claim 13

The IR imaging device of claim 11, wherein said set of subarrays are symmetrically disposed such that said first detector array can be oriented at least two different ways to align with said second detector array.

Claim 14

The IR imaging device of claim 12, wherein said first detector array can be oriented four different ways to align with said second detector array.

Claim 15

The IR imaging device of claim 11, wherein ones of said subarrays of said first and second detector arrays are predetermined to be functional subarrays; and said read-out means being coupled to preselected ones of the active subarrays for reading out image information from at least one preselected functional subarray of each pair of corresponding subarrays of said first and second detector arrays.

Claim 16

The IR imaging device of claim 1 wherein the bottom surface of said first detector array confronts the top surface of said second detector array.

Claim 17

The IR imaging device of claim 15, further including: first electrical contact means, disposed in the top surface of said first detector array, for coupling to the functional detector elements of said first array; the top surface of said second detector array including a peripheral region extending beyond a portion of the top surface of said second detector array covered by said first detector array; second electrical contact means, disposed in the top surface of said peripheral region, for coupling to said readout means; and means for conductively coupling together said first and second electrical contact means.

Claim 18

The IR imaging device of claim 16 wherein said conductive coupling means is a jumper wire.

Claim 19

The IR imaging device of claim 16 further including third electrical contact means, disposed in the top surface of said peripheral region, for coupling to the preselected functional detector elements of said second array; and means for conductively coupling together said second and third electrical contact means.

Claim 20

The IR imaging device of claim 15 wherein the bottom surface of said first detector array is thinned so that said first detector array has a predetermined thickness.

Claim 21

The IR imaging device of claim 15 wherein the bottom surface of said second detector array is polished and is a radiation receiving surface of said IR imaging device; and wherein each detector element of said first detector array includes reflecting means, remote from a radiation receiving side of said detector element, for reflecting radiation after passage through said detector element.

Claim 22

The IR imaging device of claim 15 wherein each said internal photoemission IR detector element is a Schottky barrier type IR detector comprising a silicon compound.

Claim 23

The IR imaging device of claim 15 wherein each of said plurality of detector elements of said first and second detector arrays is a Schottky barrier type IR detector comprising IrSi or PtSi.

Claim 24

The IR imaging device of claim 15 wherein each of said plurality of detector elements of said first and second detector arrays is a free carrier absorption type IR detector comprising silicon or a silicon compound.

Claim 27

The method of claim 24 wherein the mounting step comprises the step of mounting the top surface of the top array to confront the top surface of the bottom array.

Claim 28

The method of claim 25 wherein the bottom surface of the bottom array is a radiation receiving surface of said IR imaging device; and said method including the further step of polishing the bottom surface of the bottom array.

Claim 29

The method of claim 24 wherein the mounting step comprises the step of mounting the bottom surface of the top array to confront the top surface of the bottom array.

Claim 30

The method of claim 27 wherein the bottom surface of the bottom array is a radiation receiving surface of said IR imaging device; said method comprising the further steps of: thinning the substrate of said top array; and polishing the bottom surface of said bottom array.

Claim 31

The method of claim 27 wherein the mounting step comprises the substep of bonding with epoxy the bottom surface of said top array to the top surface of said bottom array.

Claim 32

The method of claim 24 wherein the fabricating step comprises fabricating each of said substantially identical detector arrays in a respective wafer including a peripheral region surrounding the detector array, said image information readout circuitry being disposed in the peripheral region; and said method including the further step, prior to the mounting step, of cutting the peripheral region away from the top detector array.

Claim 33

An infrared (IR) imaging device, comprising: a first detector array including a plurality of silicide Schottky barrier type IR detector elements arrayed to have a predetermined arrangement; a second detector array including a plurality of silicide Schottky barrier type IR detector elements arrayed to have said predetermined arrangement; said first and second detector arrays each including a substrate in which are disposed said plurality of detector elements forming a top surface of said first or second detector array, a surface of said substrate remote from said plurality of detector elements being a bottom surface of said first or second detector array, the bottom surface of said first detector array being thinned so that said first detector array has a predetermined thickness; said first detector array mounted on said second detector array such that the bottom surface of said first detector array confronts the top surface of said second detector array and each of said plurality of detector elements of said first array is aligned and paired with a corresponding one of said plurality of detector elements of said second array; each of said first and second detector arrays including functional detector elements, among said plurality of detector elements, from which image information can be read out; read-out circuit means, coupled to preselected ones of the functional detector elements of said first and second detector arrays, for reading out image information from at least one preselected functional detector element of each pair of corresponding detector elements of said first and second detector arrays; first electrical contact means, disposed in the top surface of said first detector array, for coupling to the functional detector elements of said first array; the top surface of said second detector array including a peripheral region extending beyond a portion of the top surface of said second detector array covered by said first detector array; second electrical contact means, disposed in the top surface of said peripheral region, for coupling to said readout means; third electrical contact means, disposed in the top surface of said peripheral region, for coupling to the preselected functional detector elements of said second array; and means for conductively coupling together said first and second electrical contact means and for conductively coupling together said second and third electrical contact means.

Claim 34

An infrared (IR) imaging device, comprising: a first detector array including a plurality of silicide Schottky barrier type IR detector elements arrayed to have a predetermined arrangement; a second detector array including a plurality of silicide Schottky barrier type IR detector elements arrayed to have said predetermined arrangement; said first and second detector arrays each including a substrate in which are disposed said plurality of detector elements forming a top surface of said first or second detector array, a surface of said substrate remote from said plurality of detector elements being a bottom surface of said first or second detector array, the bottom surface of said first detector array being thinned so that said first detector array has a predetermined thickness; said first detector array mounted on said second detector array such that the bottom surface of said first detector array confronts the top surface of said second detector array and each of said plurality of detector elements of said first array is aligned and paired with a corresponding one of said plurality of detector elements of said second array; each of said first and second detector arrays including functional detector elements, among said plurality of detector elements, from which image information can be read out; read-out circuit means, coupled to preselected ones of the functional detector elements of said first and second detector arrays, for reading out image information from at least one preselected functional detector element of each pair of corresponding detector elements of said first and second detector arrays; first electrical contact means, disposed in the top surface of said first detector array, for coupling to the functional detector elements of said first array; the top surface of said second detector array including a peripheral region extending beyond a portion of the top surface of said second detector array covered by said first detector array; second electrical contact means, disposed in the top surface of said peripheral region, for coupling to said readout means; third electrical contact means, disposed in the top surface of said peripheral region, for coupling to the preselected functional detector elements of said second array; and means for conductively coupling together said first and second electrical contact means and for conductively coupling together said second and third electrical contact means.