Source:thznetwork.org

    Spectrum Detector, Inc., a leading manufacturer of pyroelectric detectors, electronics and instruments for measuring optical power and energy, today announced its strategic partner, SRICO, Inc., a premier manufacturer of high performance optical integrated circuit components and optoelectronic subsystems, was awarded a Phase I SBIR contract from the United States Air Force Research Laboratory. This $100,000 contract enables Spectrum Detector and SRICO to work together to develop next-generation, ultra-sensitive pyroelectric detectors targeted at THz applications.

    ¡°We are developing a revolutionary process that will enable large-scale production of 1µm to 5µm, single-crystal, thin-film pyroelectric detectors,¡± said Sri Sriram, president of SRICO. ¡°We anticipate an order of magnitude increase in detector performance over the current technology,¡± In addition, these devices will operate at room temperature, a major improvement over conventional high-sensitivity sensor solutions, like microbolometers, that typically require bulky, costly cryogenic cooling systems. ¡°Room-temperature operation is critical,¡± Sriram continued. ¡°Not only does it provide greater design flexibility, it helps open the door to a full range of portable THz applications, from medical instrumentation to bomb-detection devices.¡±

    Spectrum Detector will focus its efforts on manufacturability. ¡°What we bring to the table is the know-how to make these devices cost effective and easy to produce ¨C while maintaining the utmost in quality and performance,¡± said Don Dooley, president of Spectrum Detector. ¡°In today¡¯s market, the most advanced thin-film detectors one can specify are typically 25µm thick¨C and these have to be hand crafted, one by one. In contrast, we anticipate our new manufacturing processes will allow semi-automated fabrication of up to 100 devices per substrate ¨C even when fabricating devices as thin as 1µm to 5µm.¡±