High-performance quantum-well silicon-germanium bolometers using IC-compatible integration for low-cost infrared imagers

This paper reports on the realization and characterization of the very first quantum-well (QW) mono-crystalline Si/SiGe 18times18 pixel infrared bolometer arrays that are manufactured using IC compatible heterogeneous 3D integration on fan-out wafers. This integration process enables bolometer materials on top of CMOS-based integrated circuits that can not be integrated with conventional monolithic deposition techniques. The manufactured bolometer arrays have a negative temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) of 2.8%/K. Measurements of the 1/f noise showed a higher value than expected for the bolometers. This result can be compared to lower values of noise achieved for samples of the thermistor material and is believed to result from imperfect metal contacts.