3D microsystems: a move from sensing to understanding the battlespace

The increasing complexity of today´s battlespace environment has driven the use of multiple sensors to improve target acquisition and discrimination. This has resulted in an explosion in signal processing demands in order to make an actuation decision on the battlefield. As traditional semiconductor gate scaling approaches fundamental physical limits, a new model is needed to address the signal processing needs of these systems. The model proposed in this paper is the 3D microsystem, which integrates functionality and scaling in three dimensions and enables new materials-driven integrated sensing capabilities. In the short term, this approach will overcome the conventional 2D scaling limits and enable a new generation of functional scaling. In the longer term, 3D microsystems will make targeting techniques such as very compact multispectral imaging practical. As more processing power is integrated with the sensor, the 3D microsystem may begin to take on some on-chip discrimination activities and adapt and reconfigure itself to its changing environment. With these smart sensors, the decision-maker will have a much better understanding of the battlespace, and be able to minimize the sensor-to-shooter cycle time.