SBIR Phase II: Innovative Germanium-based Short Wavelength Infrared Image Sensors

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第二阶段项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是允许更多的组织、企业和个人使用短波红外（SWIR）成像技术。现代SWIR技术已经存在了40多年，但其费用限制了其在军事和大公司的使用；这个项目是基于这样一种信念，即当每个人都能使用SWIR技术时，对社会的好处是指数级的。SWIR图像传感器在食品安全分析（例如，识别有害掺假食品和揭示产品中的表面缺陷）、制造（例如，分拣）、安全（例如，夜视）、医疗传感（例如，静脉测绘和血氧监测）和汽车领域（例如，夜间/恶劣天气视觉系统和自动驾驶汽车）具有潜在的应用。低成本传感器将为这些领域的参与者打开SWIR成像市场，这些领域迄今为止因价格而被拒之门外。此外，低成本、高质量的传感器也将使SWIR成像首次以SWIR相机智能手机附加组件的形式直接提供给公众，为SWIR成像建立一个新的市场。这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）二期项目将生产低成本的锗（Ge）短波红外（SWIR）图像传感器，其特征优于目前可用的SWIR传感器。研究目标是解决分辨率、功耗、尺寸和灵敏度等问题，这些问题限制了SWIR成像领域的发展。该项目将利用一种独特的基于ge的SWIR传感器结构来解决这些问题。此外，还将研究一种将图像传感器材料集成到Si读出集成电路上的单片方法。这将使读出集成电路和成像器件精确对齐，从而导致更小的像素尺寸和更好的分辨率。最后，电源使用和灵敏度问题将通过一种称为门控电荷调制器件的创新结构来解决。研究将集中于精炼和改进制造工艺，以可靠地生产低成本、高质量的ge基SWIR图像传感器。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to allow a greater number of organizations, businesses, and individuals to access shortwave infrared (SWIR) imaging technology. Modern SWIR technology has existed for more than 40 years, but its expense has limited its use to the military and large corporations; this project is grounded in the belief that when everyone has access to SWIR technology, the benefits to society are exponential. SWIR image sensors have potential applications in food safety analysis (e.g., identifying harmful adulterated foods and revealing sub-surface flaws in produce), manufacturing (e.g., sorting), security (e.g., night vision), medical sensing (e.g., vein mapping and blood oxygenation monitoring), and the automotive field (e.g., night/inclement weather vision systems and for self-driving vehicles). A low-cost sensor will open the SWIR imaging market to players in these fields who have so far been shut out due to price. In addition, a low-cost, high-quality sensor will also make SWIR imaging directly available to the general public for the first time ever in the form of a SWIR camera smartphone add-on, establishing a new market for SWIR imaging. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will produce low-cost germanium (Ge)-based shortwave infrared (SWIR) image sensors with features superior to those of currently available SWIR sensors. The research objective is to resolve issues of resolution, power usage, size, and sensitivity that limit advancement in the SWIR imaging field. This project will address these problems by utilizing a unique Ge-based SWIR sensor structure. In addition, a monolithic method of integrating the image sensor material onto the Si readout integrated circuit will be pursued. This will enable precise alignment of the readout integrated circuit and the imaging device, which will lead to smaller pixel size and better resolution. Finally, issues of power use and sensitivity will be addressed through an innovative structure called Gate-controlled Charge Modulate Device. Research will focus on refining and improving the fabrication processes necessary to reliably produce low-cost, high-quality Ge-based SWIR image sensors.