New Developments and State-of-the art AIM IR-modules

The production processes for IR-detectors of the 2. generation are matured. The electro optical performance parameters have reached a very high level, and constant performance values of the detectors can be expected over a long period of time. For state of the art 480 x 6 linear detectors, sensitive in the 7 – 12μm wavelength range, AIM has demonstrated long term stability of gain correction coefficients. Driven by the development of the process parameters required for the production of these most challenging modules, AIM has started the production of 2 dimensional full format IR-modules. While 640 x 512 arrays with 24μm pitch sensitive in the 3 – 5μm (MWIR) wavelength range are routine, modules with a reduced pixel pitch of 15μm are presently moving into production at the Heilbronn facility. This paper describes the developments and presents test results from 640 x 512 arrays with reduced 15μm pixel pitch as well from 3-5μm as from 7.5 – 10μm (LWIR) detectors