This paper presents experimental studies on heterodyne Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) signal reception for different optical heterodyne configurations including internal and external mixing between an incoming signal and a local oscillator. Signals and potential noise sources from a fibered FMCW Mach-Zehnder Interferometer (FMCW MZI) are theoretically evaluated. These optical estimations (signal and noise) of various power spectral densities (PSD) are converted into electrical unities to be compared to the measurements.The PSD are validated by using a known alternating voltage with controlled frequency and amplitude. This validation is used to compare the experimental and theoretical detection limits of different FMCW photodetectors, including a Photonic Integrated Circuit (PIC) detector developed and produced at CEA. The detection limit achieved with this PIC module closely matches with the expected theoretical performances. It validates the optical and electronic architecture and the achievements of CEA’s design. The miniaturization of this operational detection module is underway. In the future, it will be located on a single chip alongside two Optical Phased Arrays (OPA), one for emission and the other for reception.
CEA aims at developing a compact 1550 nm Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) LiDAR on chip. In this paper, individual demonstrators, corresponding to three main components of a LiDAR (Light Distance And Ranging) system, are combined in a test bench: a FMCW laser source, an emission and reception Optical Phased Array (OPA) and an optical heterodyne detection module. Each component has been individually tested, but also evaluated in order to derive the system performance of a complete LiDAR. A test platform has been developed to calibrate an OPA fabricated at CEA platform, either in emission or in reception mode. The tested OPA includes 256 channels based on grating antennae, with 1.5 μm pitch and 256 thermo-optic phase shifters. More recently, this platform has been completed with a FMCW interferometer, where the FMCW LiDAR detection can be evaluated through a mixed propagation setup, composed of optical fibers and free space. Then, the OPA may be inserted into this setup. Therefore, the optical fiber FMCW interferometer has been optimized to detect the lowest signal (typically less than one hundred fW) and to estimate the signal-to-noise ratio (up to almost 30 dB) with low noise photodiodes. Performance has been compared to theoretical predictions. Then, our custom OPA is included inside this experimental setup in a free space propagation environment. The performance measurements extracted from the spectral analysis are in agreement with the expectations.
We present CEA-LETI’s recent work on very small pitch HgCdTe focal-plane-arrays (FPA): materials, diode processing, readout circuit (ROIC) optimization and hybridization, done in the context of the common laboratory with SOFRADIR called DEFIR. We report on a 7.5μm pitch 640×512 FPA and a smaller 5μm pitch 64×152 FPA operating in middle wave infrared range (MWIR). The diode technology is n-on-p processed onto LPE grown HgCdTe. We will describe the two readout integrated circuits (ROIC) developed for 7.5μm and 5μm pitches and present the characterization of the IRFPAs hybridized to those ROICs. For these very small pitch detectors, we designed classic snapshot Direct-Injection (DI) Integrate-While-Read (IWR) ROICs that maximize the charge handling capacity by significantly increasing the dynamic range. For the 7.5μm ROIC, dedicated electronics has been embedded to measure the ROIC cross-talk. The 7.5μm pitch IRFPA operating at 110K displays nonlinearity under 0.5% across the maximum dynamic range, a full-well of 3.1 Me- with a 3.8V dynamic range, a ROIC noise of 210μV and SNR of 62 dB and NETD (Noise-Equivalent Temperature Difference) of 25 mK for an average current of 30 pA, and a responsivity of 1.3 pA/K.
We report high resolution (873 x 500), active-matrix, GaN-based LED microdisplays with a pixel pitch of 10 μm. They exhibit the highest resolution for the smallest pixel pitch ever reported for GaN microdisplays. High-density GaN μLED arrays were first patterned at 10-μm pitch on sapphire substrates. Arrays were then hybridized on CMOS active-matrix using the microtube technology. Blue and green monochrome prototypes have been realized. Full video, high-resolution images have been obtained. The performance of these GaN-based microdisplays make them suitable for a wide range of applications from augmented reality and head-up displays to pico- and compact projectors.
HgCdTe avalanche photodiodes offers a new horizon for observing spatial or temporal signals containing only a few infrared (IR) photons, enabling new science, telecommunication and defence applications. The use of such detectors for free space optical communications is particularly interesting for both deep space and high data rate links as it enables wide field of view free space optical coupling to the detector at high sensitivity, down to single photon level and with a close to negligible loss of the information contained in the strongly attenuated photon flux. Measurement of the response time and dark current shows that such devices can be operated at room temperature with bandwidths up to 10 GHz in a back-side illuminated configuration. This configuration allows to use micro-lenses fabricated directly into the APD substrate and enables to use a large photosensitive area while maintaining a high bandwidth, low dark current and /or high operating temperature. We report on the expected performance 4-quadrant APD detector demonstrator with single photon sensitivity, which is currently developed to be used in deep space telecommunications by ESA and present the potential use for high data rates links of 10 Gbits/s.
F. Simoens, J. Meilhan, S. Gidon, G. Lasfargues, J. Lalanne Dera, J. L. Ouvrier-Buffet, S. Pocas, W. Rabaud, F. Guellec, B. Dupont, S. Martin, A. C. Simon
CEA-Leti has developed a monolithic large focal plane array bolometric technology optimized for 2D real-time imaging
in the terahertz range. Each pixel consists in a silicon microbolometer coupled to specific antennas and a resonant
quarter-wavelength cavity. First prototypes of imaging arrays have been designed and manufactured for optimized
sensing in the 1-3.5THz range where THz quantum cascade lasers are delivering high optical power. NEP in the order of
1 pW/sqrt(Hz) has been assessed at 2.5 THz.
This paper reports the steps of this development, starting from the pixel level, to an array associated monolithically to its
CMOS ROIC and finally a stand-alone camera. For each step, modeling, technological prototyping and experimental
characterizations are presented.
Spectral signatures of solid materials in the THz range can provide spectroscopic information for chemical identification.
Previously we have demonstrated the absorption coefficient extraction by scanned imaging of QCL THz beams
attenuated through explosive samples. The detection was achieved by a unique pixel addressed within an uncooled
antenna-coupled microbolometer 160x120 array specifically designed for the 1-5 THz range. This detector technology
developed at CEA-LETI relies on amorphous silicon bolometer know-how and aims at opening the way to real-time
video rate, with potential low cost.
We report complementary tests of imaging in reflection configuration and the first tests of a second prototype where
320x240 bolometers are monolithically processed above a CMOS read-out circuit.
LETI has been involved in IRFPA development since 1978; the design department (LETI/DCIS) has focused its
work on new ROIC architecture since many years. The trend is to integrate advanced functions into the
CMOS design to achieve cost efficient sensors production. Thermal imaging market is today more and more
demanding of systems with instant ON capability and low power consumption.
The purpose of this paper is to present the latest developments of fixed pattern noise continuous time correction.
Several architectures are proposed, some are based on hardwired digital processing and some are purely analog.
Both are using scene based algorithms. Moreover a new method is proposed for simultaneous correction of pixel
offsets and sensitivities. In this scope, a new architecture of readout integrated circuit has been implemented; this
architecture is developed with 0.18μm CMOS technology. The specification and the application of the ROIC are
discussed in details.
LETI has been involved in IRFPA development since 1978, the design department (LETI/DCIS) has focused its work on new ROIC architecture since many years. The trend is to integrate advanced functions into the CMOS design in the aim of making cost efficient sensors.
The purpose of this paper is to present the latest developments of an Analog to Digital Converter embedded in a 25μm pixel.
The design is driven by several goals. It targets both long integration time and snapshot exposure, 100% of image frame time being available for integration. All pixels are integrating the IR signal at the same time. The IR signal is converted into digital by using a charge packet counter. High density 130nm CMOS allows to use many digital functions such as counting, memory and addressing.
This new structure has been applied to 25μm pitch bolometer sensors with a dedicated 320 x 240 IRCMOS circuit. Due to smart image processing in the CMOS, the bolometer architecture requirements may become very simple and low cost. The room temperature sensitivity and the DC offset are solved directly in the pixel. This FPA targets low NETD (<50mK), a variation of 80 Kelvin for the FPA temperature, 14 bits output at 50/60Hz video rate.
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