Comparison of infrared detection mechanisms in thermal-emissive vs. photoemissive silicon Schottky barrier arrays

Infrared imaging based on photoemission in metal- silicide/silicon Schottky barrier arrays is a mature technology that is currently employed in both military and commercial applications. Metal-silicide/silicon Schottky diodes can also be employed in uncooled bolometer arrays. The bolometer detection mechanism is thermionic emission in the Schottky barrier. Schottky bolometer array technology is expected to have both performance and production advantages, when compared with current uncooled sensor technology. In this paper, we compare the physical mechanisms involved in the two Schottky barrier based infrared sensors. We will also present a simplified model for the noise equivalent temperature of each technology.

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