LYNRED (formerly Sofradir) is a global leader in designing and manufacturing high quality infrared technologies for aerospace, defense and commercial markets. Its vast portfolio of infrared detectors covers the entire electromagnetic spectrum from near to very far infrared, especially thanks to a well-mastered wavelength tunable MCT technology. Over the past 20 years, LYNRED has been involved in numerous space applications requiring SWIR detectors for Earth observation like atmosphere chemistry (such as TROPOMI instrument on-board Sentinel 5 precursor satellite) or hyperspectral imaging (such as PRISMA or HYSIS satellites). Most of these instruments used the well-known SATURN detector. These kind of missions are increasing and will keep growing in the near future in order to provide new measurement tools to control, measure and preserve our environment. Pulled by this trend, the need corresponding to short wavelength infrared detectors is evolving in order to match with these mission’s expectations. In particular, spatial and spectral resolutions of instruments are more demanding, resulting in requirements for larger detectors with better radiometric performances. In this paper, we introduce our new generation of SWIR detectors answering future Earth observation missions. In the first part, we will describe the key requirements to be considered when developing infrared sensors for such applications. We will then present our dedicated space product line based on the mature NGP detector (1024x1024, 15µm pixel pitch) that is currently in production and the new COBRA detector proposed in two versions (COBRA-L = 1840x1112 and COBRA-S = 1380x640, 20µm pixel pitch). Their state-of-the-art features and main performances will also be detailed. Finally, examples of passive and active detector packages well adapted to these IRFPAs will be proposed.
The short wave infrared (SWIR) spectral band is an emerging domain thanks to its large potential. Close to VISible/Near Infrared wavelengths, SWIR images interpretation is made easier for the users. In this spectral region, new opportunities can be found in several fields of applications such as defense and security (night vision, active imaging), space (earth observation), transport (automotive safety), or industry (nondestructive process control, food and plastic sorting). In the frame of this paper, the development of a small pitch InGaAs technology for the SWIR band is described. The objective is to fuel an increase in focal plane arrays (FPA) resolution with the development of a10μm pitch process. A specific Read Out Integrated Circuit (ROIC) has been designed to address a high frame rate and various functions like the selection of lines or specific windowing. The ROIC exhibits 3 different gains. A full set of electro-optical characterizations for a VGA 10μm pitch focal plane array is presented.
For several years now, LYNRED, CEA-LETI and CEA-IRFU have been involved in the development of large area, very high performance NIR retinas for astronomy, in the context of the ALFA program (Astronomical Large Format Array). It aims at demonstrating the ability to produce in Europe low flux 2kx2k arrays exhibiting the very high performances required by science applications. In this context, high performance means very low dark current (below 0.1 e/s/px) with high QE (above 80%). LETI and LYNRED succeeded this year in the fabrication of a 2kx2k array, with very high uniformity as characterized at IRFU. One of those arrays will be used on the CAGIRE camera of the SVOM mission, aiming at observing afterglows of gamma ray bursts. Additional studies are ongoing on test arrays manufactured with the same technology to assess the behavior of this technology in terms of persistence and radiation hardness for space use.
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