Development of a 1K x 1K GaAs QWIP far IR imaging array

In the on-going evolution of GaAs Quantum Well Infrared Photodetectors (QWIPs), and with the support of NASA's Earth Science Technology Office (ESTO), we are developing a 1,024 x 1,024 (1K x 1K) far infrared focal plane array (FPA) to cover the 8-14 µm spectral range. We have, as a precursor, developed and tested a 1K x 1K narrow band (8.4-9µm) QWIP array. This 1 megapixel detector array is a hybrid using the Rockwell TCM 8050 silicon readout integrated circuit (ROIC) bump bonded to a GaAs QWIP array fabricated jointly by engineers at the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) and the Army Research Laboratory (ARL). The finished hybrid is thinned at the Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL). Prior to this development the largest format array was a 512 x 640 FPA. We have integrated the 1K x 1K array into an imaging camera system and performed tests over the 40K-90K temperature range achieving BLIP performance at an operating temperature of 76K (f/2 camera system). In this paper we will present results of our 1K x 1K QWIP array development including fabrication methodology, test data and our imaging results.