Real-time thermal infrared scene-generation technology and itsapplication in the test and calibration of infrared sensors and seekers forlaboratory and field environments,

摘要

Abstract: For more than two decades, researchers have investigated a wide variety of technologies for use as a real-time infrared scene generator. During the past several years, the most promising technology to meet the myriad of applications appears to be the silicon micromachined resistive-array approach. Each thermal pixel is created by a micro-scale resistor. The present investigation reports the recent results achieved by using the standard commercial CMOS foundry process, rather than a costly custom fabrication process, to produce the chip and the subsequent post-foundry etching. Both chip-level and pixel-specific electronics are readily included on the chip since IC technology is employed. The principles used in device architecture formulation, chip design, and fabrication of large arrays of these thermal pixels are discussed along with experimental results of recent array designs. The application of this technology in the development of a low-cost, real-time infrared test set for field evaluation of infrared sensors and seekers is presented to illustrate that low-cost, high- performance flat-panel thermal infrared displays are now viable and practicable. !7