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Terahertz real-time imaging

uncooled array based on
antenna- and cavity-coupled
bolometers
rsta.royalsocietypublishing.org

Research
Cite this article: Simoens F, Meilhan J. 2014
Terahertz real-time imaging uncooled array
based on antenna- and cavity-coupled
bolometers. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A 372: 20130111.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2013.0111

One contribution of 11 to a Discussion Meeting

Issue Beyond Moores law.

Subject Areas:
microsystems, nanotechnology,
electromagnetism, solid state physics
Keywords:
antenna-coupled bolometer terahertz array,
terahertz real-time imaging, terahertz
uncooled two-dimensional camera
Author for correspondence:
Franois Simoens
e-mail: francois.simoens@cea.fr

Franois Simoens and Jrme Meilhan

CEA-Leti MINATEC, 17 rue des Martyrs, Grenoble Cedex 9 38054,
France
The development of terahertz (THz) applications is
slowed down by the availability of affordable, easyto-use and highly sensitive detectors. CEA-Leti took
up this challenge by tailoring the mature infrared
(IR) bolometer technology for optimized THz sensing.
The key feature of these detectors relies on the
separation between electromagnetic absorption and
the thermometer. For each pixel, specic structures
of antennas and a resonant quarter-wavelength cavity
couple efciently the THz radiation on a broadband
range, while a central silicon microbridge bolometer
resistance is read out by a complementary metal
oxide semiconductor circuit. 320 240 pixel arrays
have been designed and manufactured: a better than
30 pW power direct detection threshold per pixel
has been demonstrated in the 24 THz range. Such
performance is expected on the whole THz range
by proper tailoring of the antennas while keeping
the technological stack largely unchanged. This paper
gives an overview of the developed bolometer-based
technology. First, it describes the technology and
reports the latest performance characterizations. Then
imaging demonstrations are presented, such as realtime reectance imaging of a large surface of hidden
objects and THz time-domain spectroscopy beam twodimensional proling. Finally, perspectives of camera
integration for scientic and industrial applications
are discussed.

1. Introduction
Terahertz (THz) radiation, loosely dened to be between
0.3 and 10 THz, combines many unique properties:
non-ionizing penetration through non-metallic and nonpolar materials, high sensitivity to water content, spatial
resolution 10 times shorter than for millimetre wave
radiation, and specic spectral ngerprints for many
2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

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Without modifying the three-dimensional pixel architecture of a standard IR bolometer, THz

absorption can be optimized by the adjustment of the equivalent impedance of the standard

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2. Detector technology

rsta.royalsocietypublishing.org Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A 372: 20130111

substances. These features open the way to promising applications in many interdisciplinary
elds [14], many of which require two-dimensional imaging.
The rst demonstrations of THz two-dimensional imaging [5] were based on optoelectronic
THz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS). Since then, various different imaging modalities have
been developed and demonstrated. However, most of them use a single detector and therefore
samples need to be scanned in two dimensions relative to the xed terahertz beam, or vice versa.
Mechanical scans limit inexorably the data acquisition rate and point-to-point measurements
are preferably applied to stationary objects. Additionally, such systems tend to be bulky and
complicated.
The spread of applications using THz imaging would be greatly increased by the availability of
affordable, compact, easy-to-use and highly sensitive detectors. In particular, large-format (manypixel) focal plane arrays (FPAs) integrated in compact and hand-held cameras would enable fast
two-dimensional image acquisition; the camera would operate in video mode, recording twodimensional data in real time without the need for raster scanning.
Such features are possessed by thermal infrared (IR) array sensors based on bolometers
[6]. These monolithic FPAs are collectively processed above complementary metal oxide
semiconductor (CMOS) read-out integrated circuits (ROICs) with standard silicon technology.
The optically sensitive surface may gather a large number of pixels [7]. These sensors operate at
room temperature. And nally the CMOS ROIC provides advanced functions of signal processing
before delivering video output. Since the 1990s CEA-Leti [8,9] has been developing such detectors
with the choice of amorphous silicon (a-Si) as the thermometer material, whereas most of the other
players have chosen vanadium oxide.
In 2005, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology group [10] demonstrated real-time THz
imaging using a commercial uncooled bolometer IR camera in association with quantum
cascade lasers (QCLs). Several other institutes and companies [11,12] tested this imaging setup conguration, including the authors group [13]. In a common way, these tests showed
that signicant improvements in sensitivity could be advantageously achieved by designing
bolometer FPAs specically for THz frequencies.
CEA-Leti took up this challenge by tailoring its proprietary bolometer technology for
optimized THz sensing. Such a development was initiated a few years ago with two constraints
as guidelines. First, the pixel structure had to be as close as possible to the existing a-Si IR
bolometer stack in order to benet from the maturity of this technology that has demonstrated
high performance and high fabrication yield [14]. The second constraint involved the design of
a technological ow chart fully compatible with standard CMOS microelectronic equipment.
Indeed, similarly to other running developments of THz arrays based on CMOS eld effect
transistors [15,16] or Schottky diodes [17], bolometers can reach very-large-scale integration as
a result of silicon process technologies. The combination of these two requirements meets the
criteria of low cost and low SWAP (size, weight and power) that any commercial camera has
to target. This trend is followed by the IR thermal bolometer arrays: the prices have decreased
steadily and now meet the demands of large-volume applications, such as automotive [18] or
home appliances.
This paper summarizes the results of the Leti bolometer-based technology development. First,
it describes the pixel array structure and the chips prototyped with two different FPA formats.
Then it reports the modelling and the characterizations of the main gures of merit. The following
section shows imaging tests carried out with a prototype of a compact camera integrating the
FPA. Then a specic section focuses on the demonstration of terahertz imaging capabilities of
a complete real-time reection imaging system. Perspectives of camera integration for scientic
and industrial applications conclude this paper.

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(a)
resistive loads

microbridge bolometer

(b)

~l/4n
l /2

TOV
metallic reflector

t y
an it
on c cav
s
e
r tri
lec
e
i
OS
d
CMafer
m w
0m C
20 ASI

(c)

Figure 1. (a) Uncooled THz antenna- and cavity-coupled microbolometer pixel structure. (b) Prototyped 320 240 pixel array
chip. (c) Camera prototype integrating the THz bolometer array in its vacuum packaging. (Online version in colour.)

microbridge structure. It can be done in a quite straightforward way by tuning the sheet
resistance of a metallic lm deposited on the existing suspended membrane. This method has
been applied for the rst time by NEC [19], and then followed by INO [20]. Such cameras are now
commercialized but still the lack of a quarter-wavelength cavity necessarily hampers the optical
coupling efciency. In addition, when THz frequencies smaller than 3 THz are being targeted,
the mismatch between membrane size and wavelength will quickly degrade the published noise
equivalent power (NEP) (100 pW in the 34 THz range).
The CEA-Leti THz pixel three-dimensional [21] stack differs substantially from standard
IR bolometers. The key feature of this architecture relies on the separation between the two
main functions of such sensors, i.e. the electromagnetic absorption and the thermometer.
Complementary to an optimized quarter-wavelength cavity, antennas are coupled to the
bolometer to perform optical radiation absorption.
Crossed quasi-double-bowtie resistively loaded antennas are designed to collect the THz ux
of any polarization (gure 1a). The longer bowtie antenna located on the suspended membrane,
named DC for direct coupling, is directly excited by the incident THz wave whose polarization
is aligned along the axis of this antenna. In order to couple the other impinging polarization, a
large antenna, capacitive coupling (CC), is located below the microbridge. The surface currents
induced in this antenna are coupled via a capacitive mechanism to metallic planes deposited on
the suspended membrane. This two-storied antenna architecture permits the tuning of the optical
coupling of both polarizations independently and with no mutual interferences, as shown later.
The residual radiation that is not absorbed by the antennas is partially recovered owing to
a specic resonant quarter-wavelength cavity; as a result, the optical absorption is typically
enhanced from 6070% to 8090% at resonance.
Surface currents created on the metallic antenna planes are coupled onto the central silicon
microbridge that integrates matched antenna resistive loads. The Joule power dissipated in the
resistive loads induces a bolometer resistance change that is read out at the pixel level by a
front-end CMOS circuit.
The process above the integrated circuit (IC) of the complete THz bolometer pixel stack is fully
CMOS foundry compatible. THz arrays are collectively manufactured above the IC wafer using
only the classical steps of microelectronic photolithography, deposition process and etching. The
main technological key [22] is the etching and metallization of through-oxide-vias (TOVs) through
the thick dielectric cavity. TOVs electrically connect the bolometer resistance with the CMOS
upper metallic contacts. This process ensures the fabrication of a monolithic two-dimensional

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CC antenna

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DC antenna

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Two formats of THz FPAs have been designed, processed, tested and used for imaging
demonstrations. First, a large 320 240 pixel chip has been developed and integrated in a
compact video camera housing [25]. A second chip integrates THz bolometers with visible and
IR pixels to act as a tri-spectral monolithic detector [26].
The 320 240 array (gure 1b) is composed of 50 m pitch pixels designed for an optimized
sensitivity in the 24 THz range where most of the explosive ngerprints are located and QCLs
are efcient [27,28]. Extensive three-dimensional nite-element method (FEM) simulations [29]
were carried out with the commercial High Frequency Structure Simulator (HFSS) and Comsol
codes to design two kinds of pixels. They are optimized at 1.7 and 2.4 THz for CC polarization
while maintaining maximum absorption at 1.35 THz for the DC direction.
A dedicated CMOS application-specic integrated circuit (ASIC) has been designed by CEALeti teams to ensure low-noise measurement of the resistances of the 320 240 bolometers and to
format the resulting signals into a single video data stream.
Thanks to state-of-the-art Si microelectronic facilities and robust bolometer technology knowhow, a very high yield has been achieved: more than 99.5% of the 320 240 pixels are functional
for 56 out of the 63 chips available per 200 mm wafer.
The monolithic tri-spectral array detector integrates three types of sensors, all of them
operating at room temperature. For the visible channel, photodiodes are implemented within
the ASIC while the IR and THz detectors consist, respectively, of a-Si 25 m pitch and 50 m
pitch microbolometers. The central region of the FPA is occupied by 32 32 THz pixels while the
surroundings combine IR and visible pixels.
One major issue [30] was to work out a technological stack compatible with the simultaneous
process of IR and THz bolometric pixels above the CMOS wafer. Another important challenge
was the design of an ASIC that efciently reads and outputs the signal generated by the
three channels [31].
In spite of this very challenging tri-spectral integration gathering very diverse pixels, a
satisfactory fabrication yield has been achieved: several chips have been integrated in vacuum
packaging with diamond windows and tested for real-time imaging, as presented in 4.
As common features, the THz bolometric pixels of these arrays present thermal time constants
between 20 and 40 ms and thermal resistances of 50 MK W1 .

4. Modelled and measured figures of merit

Extensive work on modelling of the gures of merit has been carried out, of both the collection
and thermometer functions. Following this design phase, specic experimental developments
and tests of the prototyped chips were undertaken in order to assess the numerical results.

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3. Prototyped terahertz bolometer arrays

rsta.royalsocietypublishing.org Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A 372: 20130111

sensor with a large number of pixels. Moreover, the resulting vertical architecture means that
pixels are separated from the CMOS ROIC by the metallic reector plane; such a feature prevents
electromagnetic perturbation of the optical coupling by ROIC metallic lines as encountered in
[23].
The antenna sizes and shapes can be chosen independently from the bolometric device to
match the illumination characteristics, in particular the frequency range and the polarization.
This arrangement is very versatile with respect to frequency [24]. When designing the pixel,
the antennas and the resonant cavity can be sized to match the wavelength, whereas the
central bolometer structure can be kept small; as a result, the response time and the heat to
current conversion efciency are preserved. Crossed polarized antenna structures have been
implemented to make the bolometer sensitive to both transverse electric (TE) and transverse
magnetic (TM) polarizations, but it is possible to integrate only one of these two polarizations
in the pixel structure.

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(a) 1.0

(b)
DC polarization

CC polarization

0.4
measurement
simulation

0.2
0

(c) 1.0

(d )
DC polarization

absorptance

0.8

CC polarization
measurement
simulation

measurement
simulation

0.6
0.4
0.2
0
0.9

1.2

1.5

1.8 2.1 2.4

frequency (THz)

2.7

3.0

0.9

1.2

1.5 1.8 2.1 2.4

frequency (THz)

2.7

3.0

Figure 2. Spectral reflectivity of (a) DC and (b) CC antennas and spectral absorptance of (c) DC and (d) CC antennas. For each
spectral feature, data extracted from both measurements and three-dimensional FEM simulations are compared. (Online version
in colour.)

(a) Spectral absorption

One major gure of merit of any FPA is the spectral absorption. Few publications show spectral
absorption characterized continuously in a large THz range. However, this feature represents
the optical collection efciency and is then directly related to the FPA sensitivity. Actual
instruments and procedures are lacking. Hence, special efforts have been dedicated to developing
experimental methods to extract spectral features of our two-dimensional array sensor with the
help of Bruker Optics Vertex 80 V Fourier transform spectrometers (FTSs).
First, the reectivity of the sensor surface was measured. A preliminary reference
interferogram is acquired with a metallic mirror, and a second spectrum is recorded in which
the FPA replaces the mirror. Assuming that the reference mirror is perfectly reective, the Fourier
transform of the ratio of sample to reference interferograms represents the spectral reectivity of
the array.
This measurement was rst applied to a 160 120 pixel prototype array processed above
a raw Si wafer instead of an ASIC. Without an ASIC to ensure the multiplexing, specic
metallic meander lines at the reector backplane level address electrically 16 pixels. Hence, this
conguration makes possible the reading of the signal sensed by individual pixels selected within
the array. The pixels of this array are designed for optimized coupling at 1.35 and 1.7 THz,
respectively, for the DC and CC antennas.
Figure 2a,b shows the spectral reectivity Ropt (f ) measured, respectively, for the DC and CC.
Polarization is controlled with a wire grid polarizer inserted in the set-up. This experimental
result is compared with the |S11 |2 parameter (dotted line of gure 2) extracted from threedimensional FEM simulations in which each pixel of the array is considered as a Floquet cell [29].
A very good match between simulations and measurements is observed over the whole frequency
range: a distinct absorption peak arises (at 1.35 and 1.7 THz) as a dip in reectivity and the shapes
follow the same trends. However, this measurement is not sufcient to assess the useful pixel
absorption efciency that is the ratio between the thermal heating of the antenna loads and the
incident wave power. Moreover, this method overestimates the spectral absorption deduced from
opt (f ) = 1 Ropt (f ). Indeed, some power losses in the stacksuch as Joule dissipation within the
dielectric cavitydo not contribute to the bolometric signal.

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measurement
simulation

0.6

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reflectivity

0.8

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(a)

(b) 350

1.0
CC antenna

integrated signal (V)

absorptance

0.4
DC antenna

0.2
0
0.9

250

THz beam //
CC antenna

200
150
100

1.2

1.5

1.8
2.1
frequency (THz)

2.4

2.7

3.0

50
0

THz beam //DC antenna

@2.5 THz
20

40
60
angle ()

80

100

Figure 3. (a) Spectral absorption of CC and DC antennas of the 2.4 THz design FPA (dotted lines, simulations; solid line,
measured) showing the optical collection ratio close to 4 between the two antennas at 2.5 THz. (b) Measured output signal
integrated over the array versus the angle of the linearly polarized incident beam (solid line) and computed output with the
assumption of uncoupled cross antennas (triangles). (Online version in colour.)

In order to ascertain the bolometric conversion efciency, direct measurement of the spectral
response of the sensor has to be performed. The collimated beam delivered by the interferometer
is deected outside of the FTS and is focused on the detector array enclosed inside a vacuum
laboratory test vessel.
Resulting interferograms include spectral absorption of the devices convoluted to the spectral
features of the source and of the optical chain. This measurement is referenced to an interferogram
obtained in a similar operation scheme with the FTS internal pyroelectric detector to retrieve the
relative spectral response of the bolometer. The relative spectral response is normalized to the
maximum peak.
As shown by gure 2c,d, good agreement is noted between the empirical and theoretical
curves. One can observe comparable performance and a large absorption peak in the vicinity
of 1.35 and 1.7 THz, respectively, for DC and CC antennas. The observed weak oscillations and
slight shift of the experimental resonance comes mainly from the atmospheric signatures that alter
the signal during its transmission in air between the FTS and the sensor.
The absorption spectra extracted from modelling and measurements (gure 3) are in
agreement with the ones obtained in the reectivity conguration. These characterizations give
us an upper bound for the useful absorption of our device and locations of resonance peaks.
The developed procedures make possible the evaluation of the useful spectral absorption of
the THz array sensor that is an essential gure of merit when one seeks to estimate and to compare
devices performance.

(b) Noise equivalent power

Another key performance metric for the detector is the NEP. Mathematically, it is the ratio
between the output noise voltage spectral density vn and the detector voltage responsivity Rv .
This quantity can be reported at various circuit levels, from the direct signal generated at the
pixel output, i.e. the current/voltage change in the resistance for a resistive bolometer, to the
output of the overall FPA imaging chain operated in video mode. The latter NEP requires only an
a priori knowledge of the total impinging source power. This method is applied to the prototyped
320 240 pixel array with the 2.4 THz design, and is operated at a video rate of 25 Hz. A rowwise reading scheme of the ROIC allows the current of the bolometer to be integrated by the 5 pF
capacitance of its associated trans-impedance amplier during 125 s per pixel.
The sensitivity measurement set-up that combines a QCL [32] emitting at 2.5 THz and a
Thomas Keating Instruments power meter is detailed in a previous paper [33]. In a general way,
no lter is used during these experiments.

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0.6

300

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0.8

array sigal
ideal response for
decoupled cross antenna

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Real-time active imaging capabilities of the prototyped two-dimensional FPAs have been tested
in several set-ups, in both reection and transmission congurations.
First, simple optical arrangements were tested in which samples intercept the collimated beam
of a THz QCL. As shown in gure 4a,b, the 320 240 THz array is able to deliver real-time images
of objects, respectively a scalpel blade and Leti characters written with metallic ink on paper,
both concealed in a postal envelope [28]. Speckle patterns arising from the QCL source coherence
degrade the image quality.
THz antenna- and cavity-coupled bolometers also present ultra-wideband detection
capabilities. Even if the prototyped 320 240 FPAs are optimized for centre resonance frequencies
in the 2 THz range, signicant absorption remains below 1 THz. Therefore, the array can deliver
real-time frames of the THz beam produced by longer wavelength sources. Two essay campaigns
demonstrated sensitive two-dimensional real-time proling of the beam delivered by classical
TDS set-ups [34]. During these experiments, the beam generated by the photoconductive emitter
propagates in the ambient atmosphere and is focused on the FPA by off-axis parabolic mirrors. In
gure 4c,d [35], the beam delivered by the TDS is imaged with a 29 dB signal to noise ratio (SNR)
at peak; detected integrated THz power of the source emitting as low as 25 nW has been resolved
with sufcient SNR to observe tiny details of the beam shape.
The characterization of the second type of prototyped array described in 3 (gure 5b)
showed state-of-the-art performance for each channel [26]. The gure 5a presents the visible
and THz channel outputs when a paper optical test pattern is standing in the way of
a QCL beam optical path. The 32 32 THz pixels of the array centre prole the QCL
beam while visible photodiodes image the object at the periphery. In gure 5c, thermal IR
imaging by the IR pixels of the two-dimensional sensor is demonstrated separately using f /1
germanium optics.

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(c) Imaging application demonstrations

rsta.royalsocietypublishing.org Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A 372: 20130111

First, the responsivity at 2.5 THz corresponding to the CC polarization is measured. As a total
power of 238 W illuminates the device, the sum of the pixel voltages over the array is 3000 V.
The FPA responsivity is calculated as the ratio of the integrated signal to the total impinging
1
power and is found to be RCC
vtotal = 12.6 MV W . The same measurement performed for the
cross-polarization state, i.e. the DC antenna, leads to a lower total responsivity RDC
vtotal =
4.3 MV W1 .
Imaging RMS noise vn including pixel noise, ROIC and digitizing chain contributions is
measured to be 400 V RMS. The smallest variation of impinging power that can be detected
is calculated as the ratio of RMS noise to the device responsivity. This detection power
threshold reaches 32 pW for the CC polarization at 2.5 THz and is better than 30 pW at the
resonance frequency.
During the design of a detector sensitive to unpolarized radiation, one of the main challenges
is to obtain cross-polarized antennas featuring both high absorption efciency and no mutual
interferences. Cross antennas built at the same technological level suffer from mutual coupling
that averages and lowers the absorption efciency independently from the polarization state.
As described in 2, the two-storied crossed antenna architecture was chosen to remove this
unwanted mutual coupling. This property has been experimentally tested by rotating the FPA
angle from 0 to 90 with respect to the linearly polarized incident QCL beamcontrolled
with wire grid polarizers. For = 0 , the TM polarization of the QCL corresponds to the
DC antenna orientation. As illustrated in gure 3b, the resulting output integrated signal of
DC cos()2 + V CC sin()2 . Moreover, the ratio of
the device follows a mathematical function Vout
out
integrated output signals is in correspondence to the optical absorption efciencies of DC and
CC antennas (gure 3a). These results demonstrate the decoupling property of this crossed
antenna three-dimensional structure. However, one has to point out that, if needed, it is
possible to design a square law detector in which the CC and DC antennas spectral absorptions
are similar.

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(c)

(d)
0.20

0.15
0.10
0.05
4000

0
2000
distan
ce (mm 4000 0
)

THz intensity (arb. units)

THz intensity (arb. units)

0.20

8
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(b)

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(a)

2000 mm)
(
ce
tan
s
i
d

0.15
0.10
0.05
0
1000 2000
3000 4000 0
distance (mm)

4000
2000 mm)
(
ce
tan
s
i
d

Figure 4. Examples of frames extracted from video sequences. (a) Images of a scalpel blade and of metallic ink Leti characters
written on paper (b), both concealed in an envelope. Profiles of the beam emitted by a TDS emitter before (c) and after (d)
optical alignment. (Online version in colour.)
(a)

(b)

(c)

20

20

40

40

60

60

80

80

100

100

120

120

140

140

160

20

40

60

80 100 120 140 160

160

20

40

60

80 100 120 140

Figure 5. Frames extracted from real-time visible and THz (a) and thermal IR video output (c) of the MUTIVIS tri-spectral
monolithic array sensor (b). (Online version in colour.)

5. Imaging tests in a reflection system

Imaging demonstrations shown in the previous section have motivated the development of a
complete reection active THz imaging demonstrator combining QCLs with the 320 240 THz
FPA (gure 6a).

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(a)

(b)

(c)

THz
two-dimensional
bolometer
camera

(d)

(e)
55 mm

scene

Fresnel lens

THz
source

1m

Figure 6. Schematic of the complete reflection active THz imaging system (a) and examples of 4 6 cm2 images (be).
(Online version in colour.)

The illumination beam is delivered by multiple QCL ridges in order to optimize the available
optical power. The number of QCL ridges operating in continuous wave mode was chosen to
t the cooling power of the cryocooler. An innovative pulsed tube (PT) cryocooler developed
by CEA-INAC has enabled such integration. This PT provides a 20 W cooling power on the
cold nger, ending up with the choice of a 30 K temperature operation and four combined
QCL ridges.
The source is capable of delivering continuously tens of mW with dedicated fast driving
electronics and switches to gate the laser. The optical beam is then guided by a specic optical setup that points the beam towards the scene. A metallic horn ensures beam mixing to provide better
illumination uniformity. A specically designed Fresnel lens is interposed in the beam optical
path to magnify the output of the rectangular horn.
The imaging plane is located at 1 m from the demonstrator housing, whose inside atmosphere
is dried to minimize water vapour absorption. The illuminated area size is 40 60 mm2 .
A large plane mirror is used to illuminate the scene and to collect the part of the beam that is
reected and backscattered by the imaged objects. Then a folded Newton telescope composed
of an 80 cm paraboloid mirror focuses the beam onto the camera FPA with an equivalent f /0.8
relative aperture. The optical path from the QCL-based source to the camera is 4 m long, of which
2 m are in air.
The camera comprises a dedicated vacuum-sealed packaging topped by a Zeonex window.
The operation of the array under the vacuum atmospheretypically 103 mbaris necessary for
high sensitivity, as for any bolometer sensor. The camera also includes the front-end electronics
made of two different cards. The rst card delivers low-noise analogue voltages and digitizes the
chip output voltage. The second card, a eld-programmable gate array (FPGA) board, drives the
sensor and ensures synchronization between the camera and external devices.
Evaluation of optical quality and resolution has been performed with the help of absorbing
optical test patterns placed in front of a metallic plane mirror. The image of the Siemens star is
awed by specular interferences induced by the coherence of the source (gure 6b). Then the
slow time response of the bolometer is turned into an advantage to blur the speckle patterns: by
oscillating axially the Fresnel lens, a large improvement of image quality is obtained as illustrated
in gure 6c.
A second imaging test has been carried out with a Leti writing test pattern of various sizes
(gure 6d). Letter details of dimensions close to 2 mm are being resolved and represent the
outmost resolution that can be achieved by this reection imaging system demonstrator. In spite

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horn

with

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without

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An innovative monolithic two-dimensional array sensor technology has been developed with
the aim of fullling the need for affordable, easy-to-use and highly sensitive detectors for realtime THz imaging. Derived from the mature uncooled thermal IR bolometers, an innovative
architecture of monolithic array based on the use of antennas and of a resonant quarterwavelength cavity has been designed.
Thanks to the maturity of bolometer technology and to full compatibility with silicon CMOS
processes, technological barriers have been lifted. Two formats of THz arrays optimized for
sensing in the 15 THz range have been processed above CMOS ASICs: a 320 240 THz sensor
and a tri-spectral chip. A high manufacturing yield has been observed with, for example, 56 out of
63 chips available in a 200 mm wafer. A NEP better than 30 pW per pixel has been characterized
at 2.5 THz for the 320 240 FPA integrated in a camera and operated in video mode, making
this uncooled sensor the state of the art of such devices. Three-dimensional modelling studies
of this sensor have shown good agreement with the measured features, such as the broadband
spectral absorption and non-mutual coupling between the two crossed polarizations that this
pixel structure can collect. Real-time imaging tests have highlighted the ease of use and the high
sensitivity and resolution achieved by this broadband array detector.
Further technological developments will target performance improvement of the prototyped
sensor fed by ongoing progress in IR bolometer technology. Moreover, the conrmed good
mastery of the electromagnetic design of our structure motivates the development of an
array optimized in the 0.61 THz range where atmospheric and material transmission are
more favourable.
The short-term aim of developing a commercial camera for scientic use has proved to be
very valuable in helping to align any THz set-up in real time. Meanwhile, industrial applications
requiring penetrating imaging with high resolution are being investigated through tests of
this array in a transmission or reection conguration. A compact active imaging system
would full the demands of various elds of applications, such as homeland security, biology
and medical sciences, non-destructive controls for industry (e.g. pharmaceutical, aerospace
and microelectronics), quality control of food and agricultural products, global environmental
monitoring, and the study of historical and archaeological work. If appropriate, the imaging
functionality can be considered in combination with spectral analysis for chemical identication,
provided by the sensor itself associated with multicolour illumination or possibly with a separate
spectrometer.
Acknowledgements. The support from CEA as well as from the EU FP7 project MUTIVIS is gratefully
acknowledged. The authors also acknowledge the Leti team and academic institutionsin France, University
of Savoie, University of Paris 7, University of Rennes, Ecole Normale Suprieure de Paris, and in Italy, the
research centre Fondazione di Bruno Kesslerfor their fruitful collaboration.

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