Fraunhofer Institute for Microelectronic Circuits and Systems
The business unit IR Imagers at Fraunhofer IMS has been supporting its customers with their know-how, the infrastructure und service models for over ten years. The services include the development of customer-specific solutions for IR imagers from the first idea up to production of the IR imagers. Here, IMS relies on one of its core competencies, which is the in-house developed technology for microbolometers. This technology is complemented by the in-house developed and manufactured digital readout circuits and vacuum chip scale packages. Thus, all components that are needed for uncooled IR imagers in wavelength ranges of 3 µm to 14 µm are available at Fraunhofer IMS and can be adapted according to customer requirements. The combination of the know-how that has been built up over the years in the areas of circuit design, CMOS and microsystems technology with the manufacturing possibilities in the in-house clean rooms for CMOS and microsystems technology allow for customer support in the whole range of services from the first idea up to the realization of the IR imager.
Naturally, the services for our customers don’t have to include the full range. This way the know-how in circuit design can also be used for the development of readout circuits for other sensors, or the technology of the vacuum chip scale package applied for other MEMS that need hermetically tight housing under vacuum or defined atmosphere.
For the characterization of the manufactured IR imagers there are not only laboratory measuring stations available, but also automatic test systems that enable the electro-optical characterization on wafer level as well as on individual components. Thus, all IR imagers are tested before delivery to the customer and it is ensured that they meet the requirements of the customers.
The services for our customers go beyond the development of hardware in the form of, for example, readout circuits, packages or IR imagers. Fraunhofer IMS also supports its customers in carrying out studies for the feasibility of ideas or for the market situation of planned products. Moreover, we offer to search for suitable financing options and to support in the creation of joint applications for funding programs.
The services for customers of the business field IR Imagers of Fraunhofer IMS covers everything from the first idea over the assessment and support in searching for suitable financing options up to development, production and test of IR imagers.