Monolithic germanium SWIR imaging array

NoblePeak Vision has developed monolithic visible to short-wave infrared (SWIR) imaging arrays. An innovative growth technique is used to integrate germanium islands with the silicon transistors and metal layers of a CMOS process. Imaging arrays of 128x128 pixels at a 10 μm pitch were designed and fabricated, with the silicon photodiodes of a conventional CMOS imager replaced by germanium photodiodes. Broadband response from 400 nm to 1650 nm has been measured. Imaging die have been packaged with a Peltier cooler and built into a camera evaluation kit.