Vanadium oxide films with improved characteristics for IR microbolometric matrices

Vanadium oxide (VOx) films intended for use in uncooled IR microbolometric matrices were deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering on silicon substra tes. Optimum deposition conditions were determined, which provide for the o btaining of films possessing a current 1/f noise level 3-10 times lower, ex tended dynamic range, and increased working temperature interval. It was fo und that the 1/f noise level of the VOx films depends on the VO2 phase cont ent and grain size. It is suggested that the observed 1/f noise is caused b y the martensite transformation characteristic of the semiconductor-metal p hase transition in VO2 . (C) 2001 MAIK "Nauka/Interperiodica".