Mosaic Packaging for Large - Format Infrared Devices

摘要

The desire for larger and larger format arrays for astronomical observatories - both ground and space based - has fueled the development of very large focal plane array (FPA) packaging technology. This has generated new designs and the use of new materials suitable for high reliability and long thermal cycle performance when exposed to operating temperatures from ambient to below 10 Kelvin. We present the design and performance of a series of package designs meeting these requirements evolving from single large mega-pixel arrays through the multiple detector arrays utilizing 4-side butting. This butting arrangement permits future detector arrays of significant size of approaching a meter on a side for infrared astronomy. This packaging technology and the use of thermally compatible materials enable the large format packaging of all detector and Readout Integrated Chip (ROIC) combinations in current production. Current and future applications include the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) detector for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) mission, the 16 VIRGO detector focal planes for the Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy (VISTA) IR survey telescope and future applications such as the Supernova Acceleration Probe (SNAP) mission.