Conductive polymer compounds as microbolometer material

摘要

Our work investigates the ability to integrate conductive polymer compounds as the sensitive layer in microbolometers. The filler material creates an electrical conducting network in the polymer matrix with a temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) that yield the bolometric effect. The motivation for using polymer materials in sensor systems is given by the following advantages: (ⅰ) cheap materials, (ⅱ) easy processing, and (ⅲ) tailoring of material properties. Investigated fillers are carbon black (CB), tellurium (Te) and carbon nanotubes (CNT). These materials show high aspect ratios causing a low percolative threshold of 20 wt.%, 8.75 wt.% and 7.5 wt.%, respectively. Percolative polymer compounds show values of TCR of (0.08... 1.66) % / K, dependent on the filler material and the resistivity. Structuring of the polymer compounds was achieved either by simple lithographic or a special molding technique.