SBIR-STTR Award

The objective of the program is to develop a 30 Hz frame-rate, multi-megapixel image sensor that is capable of efficient light detection over the entire 290nm to 900nm wavelength range. All of the cost, size/weight and power efficiency advantages generally associated with CMOS-based sensors will be provided. To do this, the range of wavelength coverage of e-Phocus' existing Photoconductor On Active Pixel (POAP) visible sensor technology will be extended into both the ultraviolet and near infrared regions through innovative modifications of materials and heterostructure design. The Phase I program will set the stage for the Phase II effort by determining, through analysis, the lowest risk approaches for the required POAP technology enhancements and establishing, through a simple laboratory demonstration, that the most serious risk factor associated with the basic approach is not a "show stopper". Other major results of the Phase I effort will be the creation of a conceptual design for an operational and useful broadband multi-spectral sensor, and generation of a detailed Work Plan for developing and testing that sensor, as the principal focus of the Phase II effort.

Many MDA missions ask for compact image sensors capable of low power, high frame rate, mega-pixel resolution and efficient light detection over the entire 300nm to 1570nm wavelength range. e-Phocus has demonstrated a compact, low power, mega-pixel resolution and 30 Hz sensors over the visible spectrum (400nm - 700nm), using its patented Hi-SightTM technology with an amorphous silicon (a-Si) photodiode structure. The Hi-SightTM technology involves the coating of a multi-layer amorphous or microcrystalline photodiode structure on a CMOS readout integrated circuit, in order to provide a high performance image sensor with an imaging bandwidth potentially spanning the ultraviolet to near infrared spectrum. Under the Phase I e-Phocus showed a path to extend the ability of the Hi-SightTM technology to perform to 290nm in the UV using a surface anti-reflection layer structure, and to 900 nm in the Near IR using microcrystalline silicon (ƒYc-Si). e-Phocus also determined that with microcrytalline germanium (ƒYc-Ge) based photo-sensing heterostructure, the spectral response can be further extended to 1570nm. In this SBIR Phase-II program, e-Phocus intends to develop a ƒYc-Ge based photo-sensing hetero-structure, to be used on top of Hi-SightTM readout circuitry, which can extend sensor's spectral response towards 1570nm. The Phase II program will investigate the spectral response of ƒYc-Gebased photo-sensing heterostructure devices and its capability in supporting high frame rate sensors. e-Phocus intends to demonstrate that Hi-SightTM sensor architecture in conjunction of ƒYc-Ge photo-sensing structure will be a viable and cost-effective solution leading to image sensors with broadband sensing capability to support MDA's missions. The success of this program enables single monolithic, high frame rate, mega-pixel focal plane arrays sensitive in both the UV, visible and Near IR regimes