Advances in Radio Science
Advances in Radio Science
ARS
Articles | Volume 9
Articles | Volume 9
https://doi.org/10.5194/ars-9-107-2011
© Author(s) 2011. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/ars-9-107-2011
© Author(s) 2011. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Articles | Volume 9
29 Jul 2011
 | 29 Jul 2011

An uncooled VGA-IRFPA with novel readout architecture

D. Würfel, M. Ruß, R. Lerch, D. Weiler, P. Yang, and H. Vogt

Abstract. An uncooled VGA Infrared Focal Plane Array (IRFPA) based on microbolometers with a pixel pitch of 25 μm for thermal imaging applications is presented. The IRFPA has a 16-bit digital video data output at a frame rate of 30 Hz. Thousands of Analog to Digital Converters (ADCs) are located under the microbolometer array. One ADC consists of a Sigma-Delta-Modulator (SDM) of 2nd order and a decimation filter. It is multiplexed for a certain amount of microbolometers arranged in a so called "cluster". In the 1st stage of the SDM the microbolometer current is integrated time-continuously. The feedback is applied using a switchable current source. First measurements of Noise Equivalent Temperature Difference (NETD) as a key parameter for IRFPAs will be presented.

How to cite. Würfel, D., Ruß, M., Lerch, R., Weiler, D., Yang, P., and Vogt, H.: An uncooled VGA-IRFPA with novel readout architecture, Adv. Radio Sci., 9, 107–110, https://doi.org/10.5194/ars-9-107-2011, 2011.