NEC在全球| NEC开发了世界上首个利用碳纳米管的高灵敏度非冷却红外图像传感器

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#NEC在全球

NEC成功开发出世界上第一个使用高纯度半导体碳纳米管(CNTs)的高灵敏度非冷却红外图像传感器，灵敏度是传统非冷却红外图像传感器的三倍以上。

新开发的红外图像传感器是使用NEC特有的提取技术完成的，基于其专有技术提取的半导体型碳纳米管薄膜在室温附近具有较大的电阻温度系数，这是传感器具备高灵敏度的关键。

红外图像传感器将红外线转换成电信号以获取必要的信息，即使在黑暗中也能探测到人或物体发出的红外线。因此，红外图像传感器被用于各个领域，例如在黑暗中行驶的汽车，飞机导航支持系统和安全监控摄像头。

NEC正致力于在2025年实现该图像传感器的实际应用，提供可为各领域做出贡献的产品和服务。

NEC Corporation has succeeded in developing the world's first high-sensitivity uncooled infrared image sensor that uses high-purity semiconducting carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in the infrared detection area. This was accomplished using NEC’s proprietary extraction technology. NEC will work toward the practical application of this image sensor in 2025.

Infrared image sensors convert infrared rays into electrical signals to acquire necessary information, and can detect infrared rays emitted from people and objects even in the dark. Therefore, infrared image sensors are utilized in various fields to provide a safe and secure social infrastructure, such as night vision to support automobiles driving in the darkness, aircraft navigation support systems and security cameras.

There are two types of infrared image sensors, the "cooled type," which operates at extremely low temperatures, and the "uncooled type," which operates near room temperature. The cooled type is highly sensitive and responsive, but requires a cooler, which is large, expensive, consumes a great deal of electricity, and requires regular maintenance. On the other hand, the uncooled type does not require a cooler, enabling it to be compact, inexpensive, and to consume low power, but it has the issues of inferior sensitivity and resolution compared to the cooled type.

(left) Electron micrograph and image of single-walled CNTs

(right) Atomic microscope image of a high-purity semiconducting CNT film

In 1991, NEC discovered CNTs for the first time in the world and is now a leader in research and development related to nanotechnology. In 2018, NEC developed a proprietary technology to extract only semiconducting-type CNTs at high purity from single-walled CNTs that have a mixture of metallic and semiconducting types. NEC then discovered that thin films of semiconducting-type CNTs extracted with this technology have a large temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) near room temperature.

The newly developed infrared image sensor is the result of these achievements and know-how. NEC applied semiconductor-type CNTs based on its proprietary technology that features a high TCR, which is an important index for high sensitivity. As a result, the new sensor achieves more than three times higher sensitivity than mainstream uncooled infrared image sensors using vanadium oxide or amorphous silicon.

The new device structure was achieved by combining the thermal separation structure used in uncooled infrared image sensors, the Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) device technology used to realize this structure, and the CNT printing and manufacturing technology cultivated over many years for printed transistors, etc. As a result, NEC has succeeded in operating a high-definition uncooled infrared image sensor of 640 x 480 pixels by arraying the components of the structure.

(Left) Device structure
(Right) Photograph of CNT infrared array device

Part of this work was done in collaboration with Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST). In addition, a part of this achievement was supported by JPJ004596, a security technology research promotion program conducted by Japan’s Acquisition, Technology Logistics Agency (ATLA).

Going forward, NEC will continue its research and development to further advance infrared image sensor technologies and to realize products and services that can contribute to various fields and areas of society.

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