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High Operating Temperature Mid-Wave Infrared (HOTMWIR)

Program Manager: Dr. Stuart Horn

The primary goal of this program is to establish the technology for high-speed sampling and high spatial resolution infrared focal plane arrays that operate without cryogenic cooling, and have response in the three-to-five micron spectral band, and broadband response as required by the application.

Applications include affordable sensor arrays for both threat detection and imaging. For imaging, the response may extend into the long wave infrared. The threat detection and imaging functions may be designed into separate arrays or combined into a single array.

The program focuses on innovative concepts and approaches to realize detector technology, which may be either thermally or photon sensitive, and will include research directed toward large area, low defect density material, unique thermally sensitive microstructures, and detector concepts and focal plane read-outs required for wide field-of-regard integrated imaging micro-systems.

For threat warning, the design of the focal plane array must be consistent with processing to distinguish threats from false alarms and to identify the various types of threats. Several target discrimination techniques may be considered, for example, time sampling, spectral band discrimination, and spatial content. The time and spectral response of the detector and focal plane array must be compatible with these discrimination techniques.

Applications of room temperature mid-wave focal planes cover a wide range of platforms, both high and medium performance systems. In the high performance systems, higher operating temperature serves to reduce cost, increase reliability, and provide a sensor package where multiple arrays can be distributed on the system platform. In medium performance systems, the increased operating temperature leads to micro-sensors for unattended sensor networks and micro-vehicle applications. The room temperature mid wave infrared has the potential to be an enabling technology, creating new classes of systems, significantly enhancing military capability and leading the way to new applications.