Multi-spectral Schottky barrier infrared radiation detection array

• US 4,423,325 A
• Filed: 09/02/1981
• Issued: 12/27/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/1981
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honeywell Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Foss, Norman A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Howell, Janice A.
• Application Number:
  US06/298,568
• Time in Patent Office: 846 Days
• Field of Search: 250/330, 250/332, 250/338, 250/370, 250/371, 357/15, 357/24 LR, 357/29, 357/30, 358/113
• US Class Current: 250/332
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14875 Infrared CCD or CID imagers

Abstract

A multi-spectral Schottky barrier infrared detector array in which individual pixels of radiation from a remote radiating object are detected by two or more Schottky barrier infrared radiation detectors each having a different spectral response so as to provide a "color" discrimination for the array.

Claims

1. An infrared detector array comprising:

a plurality of pixels for sensing infrared radiation, each pixel comprising a plurality of Schottky barrier detectors, each detector in a pixel having a different barrier height so as to produce an output for each pixel indicative of infrared radiation of a different wavelength.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 including means for transferring the outputs of the detectors to a shift register for readout.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each pixel comprises two or more detectors with each of the detectors having a different infrared wavelength cutoff.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the detectors have a substantially common annealing schedule.

5. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the detectors are comprised of palladium silicide, platinum silicide and iridium silicide on a p-type silicon base respectively.

6. A monolithic infrared detector CCD structure comprising:

a first plurality of Schottky barrier detectors having an infrared response cutoff of λ

1;

a second plurality of Schottky barrier detectors having an infrared response cutoff of λ

2, a plurality of pixels formed on the structure with each pixel comprising a detector of the first plurality and a detector of the second plurality;

shift register means; and

transfer means for transferring the outputs of each detector to the shift register for further utilization.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the first plurality of detectors and the second plurality of detectors have a substantially common annealing schedule.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the first and second plurality of detectors are chosen from a group consisting of palladium silicide, platinum silicide and iridium silicide on a p-type silicon base.

9. Apparatus according to claim 6 including a third plurality of Schottky barrier detectors and each of the plurality of pixels includes one of the third plurality of detectors.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the first plurality of detectors comprises palladium silicide on a p-type silicon base, the second plurality of detectors comprises platinum silicide on a p-type silicon base and the third plurality of detectors comprises iridium silicide on a p-type silicon base.