Design of the CRIRES 512×4096 Pixel Aladdin InSB Focal Plane Array Detector Mosaic

Near infrared focal plane technology has developed rapidly during the past decade. The array format has increased exponentially and surpassed the megapixel threshold. For the high-resolution IR Echelle Spectrometer CRIRES (1–5 μm range), to be installed at the VLT in 2004, ESO is developing a 512×4096 pixels focal plane array mosaic based on Raytheon Aladdin II and III InSB detectors with a cutoff wavelength of 5.2 μm. To fill the useful field of 135 mm in the dispersion direction and 21 mm in the spatial direction and to maximize simultaneous spectral coverage, a mosaic solution similar to CCD mosaics has been envisioned. It allows a minimum spacing between the detectors of 264 pixels. ESO developed a 3-side buttable multilayer co-fired AlN ceramic chip carrier and package for both the Aladdin II and Aladdin III detectors. This paper presents the design of the CRIRES 512×4096 pixels Aladdin InSb focal plane array mosaic and the newly developed 3-side buttable package.