Long wave infrared detection using dipole antenna-coupled metal-oxide-metal diodes

This work focuses upon dipole antenna-coupled metal-oxide-metal diodes, which detect long wave infrared radiation. These detectors offer CMOS compatible fabrication in a small pixel footprint, high speed and frequency selective detection, and full functionality at room temperature. These devices can be fabricated by either of two methods, both of which provide for the aforementioned device characteristics. In addition, the detection characteristics can be tailored to provide for multi-spectral imaging in specific applications by modifying device geometries.

I. Introduction and Background

THE long wave infrared (LWIR) band is a frequency range for which developing detectors capable of functioning at room temperature is of special interest. The reason is twofold; humans emit radiation most strongly in this range and absorption is relatively low in the atmospheric window between 8 and 12 μm. These facts provide motivation to develop detectors for use in this frequency range, which could be used for target detection, tracking, and navigation in autonomous vehicles. One such device that has been developed for LWIR sensing is the antenna-coupled metal-oxide-metal diode (ACMOMD) detector [1], [2].