MITI Corporation seeks to demonstrate the feasibility of using a new class of materials as bolometric infrared (IR) sensor elements that could drastically improve both the cooled and uncooled sensitivity of state-of-the-art micromachined silicon and silicon-nitride focal plane arrays. The proposed bolometer could utilize the recent advances in micromachined silicon bolometers for its mechanical substructure, but it would rely on this new class of materials for the thermal element itself. If it proves feasible, it could operate over a wide range of temperatures - from below 77 K to above 300 K - thus opening the door for thermoelectrically cooled (or even room temperature) IR detectors with a broad spectral response. Phase I will determine the feasibility of using these materials as practical IR sensors. This work would involve the measurement of the responsivity and noise in films of these materials deposited on lattice matched substrates and silicon nitride films or membranes. Phase II would involve the optimization of film parameters and the fabrication and characterization of a prototype focal plane array
