Performance analysis of low-cost uncooled microbolometer infrared detectors

Uncooled microbolometer infrared detectors are being developed for a wide range of thermal imaging applications. To design and manufacture high-performance microbolometer infrared detectors, numerical calculation and simulation is necessary. In this work, finite element methods are performed to simulate the transient temperature field of thermistor films of microbolometer infrared detectors. The varisized supporting legs' impacts on the performance of detectors are discussed. At the same time, variation of the bias voltage and the substrate temperature's impacts on total noise, noise equivalent to temperature difference (NETD) and detectivity (D*) are also discussed in details. These performance analyses are helpful for optimum design of microbolometer infrared detectors' structure and rational choice of working temperature of infrared focal plane arrays.