Infrared MEMS

过去，天文学家和少数光谱学家主要对中、远红外光谱感兴趣，但近年来，人们对利用这一波长范围进行传感和成像的兴趣急剧增加。扩大红外技术应用的挑战之一是设计适合现场使用的微型系统。例如，这些可能是便携式手持设备或安装在远程操作或自动驾驶车辆上的装置。因此，有必要开发不需要冷却的紧凑、高效、低成本的源和探测器技术。***提出的计划的一个关键目标是融合红外材料，微加工，热设计，等离子体和超表面的思想，以扩展热中远红外源，探测器和光学元件的性能期望。这项工作将有助于我们更好地理解热、光、材料和结构之间的相互作用。结果将在非色散和光谱气体传感、材料分析以及多光谱和高光谱成像中得到应用。***该项目将通过单片集成微机械热隔离结构与等离子体和超材料结构来开发微制造红外光学元件，用于色散控制。这些技术的结合将产生具有工程发射光谱的高效红外发射器。申请人在热探测器，微制造，薄膜材料，MEMS和传感器的工艺设计和开发方面具有丰富的经验，并将确保使用本地微制造能力进行可制造设备的实验演示。目前在等离子体传感器、热和光学器件建模以及红外超材料方面的合作将支持对设计概念的数值评估。卡尔顿集团、当地公司和外部服务实验室之间的合作将使全面的设备测试成为可能。这项工作的重要性将体现在许多方面。量子级联激光器是中远红外强相干辐射的标准激光器。然而，MEMS热发射器仍然是几个供应商提供的流行红外源。具有定制发射光谱的更高效发射器将在微型，低功耗和低成本气体传感器中找到市场。该波长范围内的光学和探测器组件的小型化将使具有不同光谱响应的探测器阵列能够进行多光谱测量。通过热或静电驱动的可调谐元件的进一步发展可以导致成像或光谱测量的连续光谱测量

In the past the mid and far infrared spectrum was mainly of interest to astronomers and a few spectroscopists,but in recent years interest has grown dramatically in sensing and imaging using this wavelength range. One of the challenges to expanding application of infrared technology is in devising miniature systems suitable for field use. These might be, for example, portable hand held devices or units mounted on remotely operated or autonomous vehicles. It is therefore necessary to develop compact, efficient, low cost source and detector technologies that do not require cooling.***A key goal of the proposed program is to merge ideas in infrared materials, micromachining, thermal design, plasmonics, and metasurfaces to extend the performance expectations for thermal mid and far infrared sources, detectors, and optical components. This work will lead to an improved understanding of the interaction between heat, light, materials, and structures. The results will find application in non dispersive and spectroscopic gas sensing, materials analysis, and multi and hyper spectral imaging.***The proposed program will develop microfabricated infrared optical elements by monolithically integrating micromachined thermal isolation structures with plasmonic and metamaterial structures for dispersion control. The combination of technologies will lead to highly efficient infrared emitters with engineered emission spectra. The applicant has extensive experience in thermal detectors, microfabrication, thin film materials, process design and development for MEMS and sensors and will ensure an experimental demonstration of a manufacturable device using local microfabrication capabilities. Existing collaborations on plasmonic sensors, on thermal and optical device modeling, and on infrared metamaterials will support numerical evaluation of design concepts. Collaboration between groups at Carleton, local companies, and external service labs will enable comprehensive device testing.***The significance of this work will be seen in a number of areas. The Quantum Cascade Laser is the standard for intense and coherent radiation in the mid to far infrared. However the MEMS thermal emitter continues to be a popular IR source available from several vendors. A more efficient emitter with a customized emission spectrum will find a market in miniature, low power and low cost gas sensors. Miniaturization of optical and detector components in this wavelength range will enable arrays of detectors with different spectral response allowing multi spectral measurements. Further development of tunable elements through thermal or electrostatic actuation can lead to measurement of a continuous spectrum for imaging or spectroscopic measurement.**