The bolometric characteristic of thermally oxidized thin nickel film for an uncooled infrared image sensor

Abstract

The resistivity of nano-scaled thin nickel film can be controlled so as to be applicable to MEMS-based micro-bolometric infrared image sensor technology. DC-sputtered 60 nm-thick thin nickel film on a SiO(2)/Si substrate was oxidized in O(2) ambient. From XRD and electrical analyses, a phase transformation from the metallic nickel film to crystalline nickel oxide films was verified. The thin oxidized nickel films showed a negative TCR (temperature coefficient of resistance (above -3.22%/degrees C)) which is indicative of a semiconductor behavior. A 1/f noise result ranging from 1 Hz to 100 Hz was also acquired. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.