These solutions provide a range of capabilities to support development and production of state-of-the-art, large-format focal plane arrays for aerospace and defence as well as broad-market industrial and automotive designs.
A focal plane array, at the heart of thermal imaging cameras, captures thermal radiation and converts it into electrical signals to form an image.
SkyWater’s ThermaView technology offerings will span CMOS platforms for cooled and uncooled read-out ICs (ROICs), while also supporting microbolometer technologies in uncooled thermal imaging applications.
The initial ThermaView platform offering will be SkyWater’s recently qualified 90nm CMOS process. Referred to as S90LN, the ROIC-centric platform provides low noise performance with process design kit (PDK) enabled support for large format die. S90LN is said to be the most advanced domestic semiconductor platform specifically tailored for ROIC applications, enabling high-density routing technology to increase pixel density for high-resolution designs.
In addition, ROIC chips made on SkyWater’s S90LN technology have been thoroughly characterized and are suited to perform reliably in extreme conditions and withstand significant radiation effects encountered in high altitude and space applications.
Thermal imaging camera systems are used across a wide range of applications including defence targeting systems, industrial surveillance, autonomous vision systems and factory process monitoring.
ThermaView ROICs are bonded to focal plane arrays, providing conditioning of focal plane array signals and offer a range of features which enable multi-spectral imager systems to perform with higher resolution, higher-dynamic range and increased sensitivity.
High-density routing technology, a key enabling feature of SkyWater’s S90LN platform, maximises pixel density with two local interconnect layers enabling short, efficient connections between transistors that perform like an additional routing layer, without the need for vias. The platform enables designers to pack as many features as possible into each pixel, allowing up to 15% area improvement in chip density as compared to 90 nm technology with a conventional contact layer.
“We recognise the importance of supporting our warfighters and the wider industrial focal plane array community,” said Ross Miller, SVP of Commercial and A&D business. “With ThermaView, we’re demonstrating our commitment to meet the particular needs of ROICs today, while anticipating the needs of this market tomorrow. Our solutions come with a reliable supply chain that ensures long-term availability, empowering our partners to confidently develop the next generation of thermal imaging systems.”
