Program Summary
Unlike photonic sensors that exploit the photoelectric effect to enable infrared imaging at cryogenic temperatures, uncooled thermal sensors work by allowing an infrared absorbing material to be heated by incident electromagnetic radiation to produce an image. Such thermal sensing devices, also known as bolometers, have traditionally been less sensitive and slower than their cooled photonic analogs.
The Limits of Thermal Sensors (LOTS) program seeks to advance the sensitivity and speed of uncooled thermal sensors to enable low-cost, size, weight, and power (SWaP) imagers to replace expensive cryo-cooled infrared imagers across an array of applications. LOTS aims to further develop microfabrication techniques demonstrated at the laboratory scale in a production environment to realize large-format focal plane arrays with exquisite sensitivity and speed. Additionally, the program seeks to develop new readout integrated circuity to accommodate the improved dynamic range, sensitivity, and imaging speed.