Technological customization of uncooled amorphous silicon microbolometer for THz real time imaging

Terahertz uncooled antenna-coupled microbolometer focal plane arrays are being developed at CEA Leti for real time THz imaging and sensing. This detector relies on LETI amorphous silicon uncooled infrared bolometer technology that has been deeply modified to optimize sensitivity in the THz range. The main technological key lock of the pixel structure is the quarter wavelength cavity that consists in a thick dielectric layer deposited over the metalized CMOS wafer; such cavity improves significantly the optical coupling efficiency. Copper plugs connect the microbolometer level down to the CMOS readout circuit (ROIC) upper metal pads through this thick dielectric cavity. This paper explains how we have improved the copper vias technology and the challenges we have faced to customize the microbolometer while keeping a monolithically above IC technology fully compatible with standard silicon processes. The results show a very good operability and reproducibility of the contact through this thick oxide cavity. Due to these good results, we have been able to characterize a very efficient THz absorption that enables real time imaging with high sensitivity in the 1-3 THz range.