Technologies for optronic detectors

Expected Impact:The outcome should contribute to:

• Strengthening the security of supply at EU level of advanced ROIC technology.
• Improving the characteristics of infrared detectors available to the armed forces of EU Member States and EDF Associated Countries.
• Improving the situational awareness and decision-making thanks to sensors with better detection, recognition and identification performance.
• The competitiveness and innovation capacity of the EDTIB in the field of infrared detectors by providing complementary technological know-how to ongoing efforts and established solutions.

Objective:The domain of Infrared (IR) detectors encompasses a variety of technologies that detect in different spectral bands, for a variety of applications such as land, air, naval, space, missile guidance and drones. IR detectors are key drivers to increase detection, recognition, and identification (DRI) ranges and thus to improve the global efficiency of the system in terms of situation awareness and targeting. IR technology is an important element of the EU technological sovereignty in key value chains. In this regard, the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base (EDTIB) faces a threefold challenge in the field of optronic detectors: achieving high performance, maintaining international competitiveness, and securing non-dependency of supply chains. It is key to continue supporting the development of the next generation of IR detectors.

The performance of the IR detector modules is driven not only by the Photon Detector Array (PDA) but also by the silicon Read-Out Integrated Circuit (ROIC), both composing the Hybrid Focal Plane Array (HFPA). Each unit cell of the detector array is coupled to the readout cell by means of flip-chip bonding. The main purpose of the readout cell is to extract the photocurrent from the detector cell and process the signal.

As early as 2019, experts identified gaps in the availability of advanced ROIC technology at EU level, which should be necessary to fulfil the targeted performance requirements of future defence systems. This subject became the focus of the call topic EDF-2021-SENS-R-IRD with the objective to invite the EU IR detector providers to collaborate and qualify together an advanced complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) node in a EU foundry allowing to design ultra-small pitch ROICs interfacing with different detector technologies and allowing digital 2D and 3D architectures.

Collaboration between the main EU IR detector providers is strictly required. Access to advanced CMOS nodes available on 12’’/300mm silicon foundries indeed requires heavy budget allocation, which can be barely achieved at individual Member State level. Therefore, the cost of access to an advanced CMOS node needs to be shared amongst the primary EU players. Furthermore, the limited volumes necessary for defence applications can be much better addressed through EU collaboration.

Specific objective

The goal of this topic is for EU IR detector developers to integrate detection circuits of varying wavelengths onto ROICs platforms and incorporate these focal plane arrays into integrated demonstrators. This should be carried out to enhance the technological maturity of the advanced ROIC designs and fully qualify the supply chain for advanced ROICs components compatible with the various IR technologies and 2D/3D architectures, as requested by the call topic EDF-2021-SENS-R-IRD.

A first assessment of the performances should be done at demonstrator level. In parallel, 3D stacking technologies should be explored to increase the maturity of this technological key enabler for future smart IR sensors.

This call topic contributes to the STEP objectives, as defined in STEP Regulation, in the target investment area of deep and digital technologies.

Scope:The proposals must further address the advance in the development of the next generation of ROICs for IR detectors considering the EU supply chain and comprising prototyping and testing. This next generation of ROIC should be based on an advanced silicon technology (compatible with a 3D architecture) that can be used in various future cooled and uncooled IR detector architectures.

Types of activities

The following types of activities are eligible for this topic:

Types of activities

(art 10(3) EDF Regulation)

Eligible?

(a)

Activities that aim to create, underpin and improve knowledge, products and technologies, including disruptive technologies, which can achieve significant effects in the area of defence (generating knowledge)

No

(b)

Activities that aim to increase interoperability and resilience, including secured production and exchange of data, to master critical defence technologies, to strengthen the security of supply or to enable the effective exploitation of results for defence products and technologies (integrating knowledge)

Yes

(mandatory)

(c)

Studies, such as feasibility studies to explore the feasibility of new or upgraded products, technologies, processes, services and solutions

Yes

(mandatory)

(d)

Design of a defence product, tangible or intangible component or technology as well as the definition of the technical specifications on which such design has been developed, including partial tests for risk reduction in an industrial or representative environment

Yes

(mandatory)

(e)

System prototyping of a defence product, tangible or intangible component or technology

Yes

(mandatory)

(f)

Testing of a defence product, tangible or intangible component or technology

Yes

(mandatory)

(g)

Qualification of a defence product, tangible or intangible component or technology

Yes

(optional)

(h)

Certification of a defence product, tangible or intangible component or technology

Yes

(optional)

(i)

Development of technologies or assets increasing efficiency across the life cycle of defence products and technologies

Yes

(optional)

Accordingly, the proposals must cover at least the following tasks as part of mandatory activities:

• Integrating knowledge

The overall objective of the proposed tasks is to increase the maturity and achieve proficiency in the development of critical technological building blocks of the supply chain of the next generation of IR detectors, hence increasing interoperability (application to different use cases) and strengthening the security of supply.

• • ROIC design optimisation of main parameters (e.g., consumption, noise).
• Increase of maturity of ROIC bumping at fine pixel pitch on 300mm CMOS wafers.

• Design • Collect and update system specifications from system manufacturers to derive the detectors and sub-components’ specifications.
• Design of large format small pitch (#5µm) Mid-Wave Infrared (MWIR) Integrated Detector Dewar Cryocooler Assemblies using different IR circuit detection materials.

• System prototyping • Assembly of the IR Focal Plane Array (IRFPA) into their specific packaging to obtain first prototypes.

• Testing • Partial tests for risk reduction at ROIC wafers’, detection circuits and IRFPA’s levels. Tests on IRFPA should be done at product operating temperature. • Those tests (electrical and electro-optical) have to be compatible with high data rates (#Gb/s) and with 300 mm wafers.
• The test means should be able to validate these large array and high frequency IR detectors without limitation.

• Electro-optical tests and performance validation to assess ROIC behaviour through High density/large format IRFPA.
• Final test for the evaluation of Integrated Dewar Assemblies performances with respect to the system functional requirements.

In addition, the proposals should cover the following tasks:

• Integrating knowledge • Increase of maturity of 3D stacking architectures & process integration.
• Development of cooled vacuum packaging adapted to the most demanding thermal and electrical requirements driven by the pitch, format and framerate envisaged for the final products.

• Design • Design of an extended Short-Wave Infrared (eSWIR) Integrated Dewar TEC Assembly (IDTA).

• Qualification • Submit Integrated Detector Dewar Cooler Assemblies (IDDCAs) and IDTAs to preliminary reliability tests.
• Analysis of the results of the reliability and performance tests: failure analysis and derivation of the manufacturing rules.

The proposals may also cover the following tasks:

• Studies • Development of smart functions at ROIC level based on CMOS 3D architectures.

• Design • Design of camera prototypes by system manufacturer(s) for detector integration and testing.

• System prototyping • Fabrication of demo camera(s) based on the prototypes.

• Testing • First imaging demonstration through the testing of the demo camera(s) within a representative use case.
• Preliminary assessment of advanced ROICs to space radiations

The proposals must substantiate synergies and complementarity with foreseen, ongoing or completed activities in the field of IR detectors, notably those described in the call topic EDF-2021-SENS-R-IRD on Infrared detectors.

Functional requirements

The proposed product and technologies should meet the following functional requirements:

• Focal Plane Array • High resolution, i.e., increase in range and field of view: • Resolution above 3 Mpixels.
• Pitch size below 7 µm.
• Characterisation tests / Modulation Transfer Function (MTF).

• Dissipation target.
• Increased operability.

• IDDCAs • Cool Down Time adapted to the pitch and format.
• Vacuum holding.
• Compactness of the interconnects.