Characterization and optimization of infrared poly SiGe bolometers

In this paper, we present a complete characterization of poly SiGe bolometers. Devices having different dimensions and different geometry have been fabricated. The dependence of the low-frequency noise and of the temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) on resistivity in poly SiGe has been measured and modeled. The impact of resistivity, bias voltage, thermal conductance, thickness, and dimensions of the active element on the device performance has been investigated. It has been demonstrated that, by using the appropriate absorber and by optimizing the device parameters, poly SiGe bolometers are suitable for realizing high-performance focal plane arrays (FPA's).