FPN Modeling and Model-Based Correction for Shutter-Less Uncooled Bolometric Imagers

This paper establishes a behavior model for analyzing the temperature-dependent fixed pattern noise (TD-FPN) induced by pixel passive and active resistance for uncooled bolometric thermal imagers. A model-based two-point correction method is also proposed to compensate for the TD-FPN by using the ratio of passive and active resistance. An infrared imaging system based on a 640 × 512 readout chip is implemented to verify the proposed model and the model-based correction method. The comparison between the simulation and measurement results shows the model's accuracy. The residuals after the model-based correction are within ±25 LSBs, which is considerably lower than the traditional method's residuals. Due to the low residuals, the spatial noise equivalent temperature difference (S-NETD) is less than 100 mK within the temperature range of [-40 °C - 80 °C]. The proposed model and correction method enable uncooled bolometric thermal imagers to achieve low cost and wide temperature range shutter-less operation.