Linear and 2-D thermopile detector arrays using high-Z thermoelectric materials

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory has, for several years now, maintained a thermopile detector array program to address NASA application niches. An established process exists for producing thermopile single detectors and linear arrays using Bi-Te and Bi-Sb-Te thermoelectric materials and bulk silicon micromachining techniques. The detectors and arrays typically have D* values of 1-2 × 10⁹ cmHz¹2//W in vacuum. Arrays are being fabricated for the Mars Climate Sounder instrument on NASA´s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft, to launch in 2005. A second effort is seeking to develop high performance two-dimensional arrays of thermopile detectors using surface micromachining to fabricate pixels on a substrate containing readout electronics.