MWIR/LWIR filter based on Liquid–Crystal Fabry–Perot structure for tunable spectral imaging detection

An electrically tunable medium-wave infrared (MWIR)/long-wave infrared (LWIR) filter based on the key structure of Liquid–Crystal (LC) Fabry–Perot (FP), which works in the wavelength range from 2.5 μm to 12 μm, is designed and fabricated successfully in this paper. According to the optical interference principle of the FP cavity and electrically controlled birefringence of nematic LC molecules, the particular functions including spectral selection and spectral staring and spectral adjustment, can be realized by the developed MWIR/LWIR filter driven and controlled electrically. As to the LC-FP filter, both planar reflective mirrors are shaped by depositing a layer of aluminum (Al) film (∼60 nm) over one side of double-side polished Zinc Selenide (ZnSe) wafer (∼1 mm), and then polyimide (PI) layer with the thickness of ∼100 nm is coated directly on Al film. With typical sandwich architecture, the depth of the cavity with nematic LC molecules sealed in is ∼7.5 μm. To make sure the LC molecules parallel aligned and twist regularly under voltage driving signal applied on Al film, which also acts as electrode, the V-grooves are formed in PI layer with the depth of ∼90 nm and the width of ∼350 nm at average by strong rubbing. The typical transmission spectrum in MWIR&LWIR wavelength range and several spectral images in MWIR wavelength range based on the fabricated LC-FP filter, have been obtained through applying a voltage driving-signal with different root-means-square (RMS) value over the electrodes of LC-FP filter in the selected voltage range from 0VRMS to 19.8VRMS. The testing result demonstrates a prospect of realization smart spectral imaging and further integrating the LC-FP filter with infrared focal plane arrays (FPAs) to achieve the purpose infrared multispectral imaging. The developed MWIR&LWIR LC-FP filters show some obvious advantages such as wide working wavelength range, electrically tunable spectral selection, ultra-compact, low cost, being compatible with standard microelectronic technology.