Lorenzo Faraone is Head of the Microelectronics Research Group (MRG) at The University of Western Australia (UWA), and Director of the WA Centre of Excellence for Semiconductor Optoelectronics and Microsystems. Prior to joining UWA in 1987, he worked primarily in the area of silicon-based microelectronics technology with RCA Labs in Princeton, New Jersey, USA. Since joining UWA he has worked on compound semiconductor devices, including AlGaN/GaN high-power high-frequency transistors and 2D electron gas transport studies, HgCdTe-based infrared sensor technology, as well as MEMS technologies for infrared applications. Recent research has focused on Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems and infrared microspectrometer technologies, which provide enhanced tuneable hyperspectral and/or multi-spectral capabilities to IR focal plane arrays. The activities at UWA also include research into the Quantitative Mobility Spectrum Analysis technique, which allows the transport properties of individual carriers in a multi-layer/multi-carrier semiconductor system to be determined accurately and unambiguously.

Infrared micro-spectrometer technologies for sensing applications in the chemical/biological, agriculture/food, biomedical and defence arenas
by Professor Lorenzo Faraone

State-of-the-art infrared (IR) sensing/imaging technologies with broad-band multicolour capability allow on-pixel information to be gathered from two or more broad spectral bands. This provides improved target recognition and reduced false alarm rates in military applications, and accurate temperature determination in civilian applications. However much finer spectral resolution is required than can be afforded by broad-band multi-colour systems. One of the primary aims of our microspectrometer research program is to address this issue by developing technologies that integrate individual tuneable narrow-band optical filters on each pixel of an IR imaging array. The simplest device consists of an electrostatically tuned Fabry-Perot filter that is integrated optically ahead of the individual detectors in an imaging array. Development of this technology requires major advances in thin-film structural membranes, development of new Bragg mirror designs, and implementation of novel read-out circuitry. This presentation will describe: the basic concept of the approach; some preliminary results demonstrating the optical performance; and potential applications for this platform technology. The developed technology is, in essence, a 'spectrometer-on-a-chip', which has wide-ranging applications.

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