Pixel interconnect insulators and methods thereof

1. An infrared focal plane array comprising:

a support substrate transparent to optical radiation in a predetermined wavelength band;

an array of pixels positioned on the support substrate, wherein a gap is present between adjacent pixels and the pixels are configured to detect optical radiation in the predetermined wavelength band;

a read-out integrated circuit parallel to the support substrate comprising an array of pixel contacts positioned on a face of the read-out integrated circuit such that corresponding ones of the array of pixels and pixel contacts are aligned;

a plurality of pixel interconnects comprising an array of bonding bumps connecting the aligned pixels and pixel contacts; and

a patterned electrical insulator affixed to the face of the read-out integrated circuit and comprising a plurality of intersecting walls defining a plurality of cells, wherein each pixel interconnect is contained within an individual cell defined by the intersecting walls and the intersecting walls are dimensioned such that the patterned electrical insulator does not physically contact the support substrate, the array of pixels, or the pixel interconnects.

2. An infrared focal plane array as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

the pixels are arranged in rows and columns on the support structure and the pixel contacts are arranged in corresponding rows and columns on the read-out structure;

the patterned electrical insulator is configured as a grid comprising substantially parallel and perpendicular intersecting walls; and

the patterned electrical insulator is positioned on the read-out integrated circuit such that the intersecting walls are located within the gap between adjacent pixels.

3. An infrared focal plane array as claimed in claim 1 wherein the intersecting walls are approximately 5 μm in height and approximately 2 μm in width.

4. An infrared focal plane array as claimed in claim 1 wherein the patterned electrical insulator is further dimensioned such that the insulator does not trap pockets of air in a pixel interconnect area defined by an open area between the support substrate, the read-out integrated circuit, the pixels and pixel interconnects.

5. An infrared focal plane array as claimed in claim 1 wherein the patterned electrical insulator is configured to block migration of the bonding bumps resulting from thermal cycling, thereby preventing electrical shorts between adjacent pixels of the pixel array.

6. An infrared focal plane array as claimed in claim 1 wherein the patterned electrical insulator is substantially free of outgassing during thermal cycling in the range of approximately 373 Kelvin to approximately 77 Kelvin.

7. An infrared focal plane array as claimed in claim 1 wherein the patterned electrical insulator comprises an organic polymer applied to the read-out integrated circuit.

8. An infrared focal plane array as claimed in claim 7 wherein the organic polymer comprises a photosensitive cyclic olefin polymer.

9. An infrared focal plane array as claimed in claim 1 wherein the transparent substrate and the read-out integrated circuit comprise silicon.

10. An infrared focal plane array as claimed in claim 1 wherein individual ones of the array of bonding bumps comprise indium.

11. An infrared focal plane array as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

the infrared focal plane array further comprises a focal plane array substrate; and

the read-out integrated circuit is affixed onto the focal plane array substrate.

12. An infrared focal plane array comprising:

a support substrate transparent to optical radiation in a predetermined wavelength band;

an array of pixels positioned on the support substrate, wherein a gap is present between adjacent pixels and the pixels are configured to detect optical radiation in the predetermined wavelength band;

a read-out integrated circuit parallel to the support substrate comprising an array of pixel contacts positioned on a face of the read-out integrated circuit such that corresponding ones of the array of pixels and pixel contacts are aligned;

a plurality of pixel interconnects comprising an array of bonding bumps connecting the aligned pixels and pixel contacts; and

a patterned electrical insulator affixed to the face of the read-out integrated circuit and comprising a plurality of intersecting walls defining a plurality of cells;

wherein:

each pixel interconnect is contained within an individual cell defined by the intersecting walls;

the intersecting walls are dimensioned such that the patterned electrical insulator does not physically contact the support substrate, the array of pixels, or the pixel interconnects; and

the patterned electrical insulator is configured to contract and expand during temperature cycling of the focal plane array without outgassing or fracturing the support substrate, the read-out integrated circuit, or the pixel interconnects.

13. A method of fabricating a focal plane array comprising:

forming an array of pixels capable of detecting optical radiation in a predetermined wavelength band onto a support substrate transparent to optical radiation in the predetermined wavelength band;

providing a read-out integrated circuit having an array of pixel contacts positioned such that the pixel contacts are aligned with the array of pixels;

affixing a patterned electrical insulator onto the read-out integrated circuit, wherein the patterned electrical insulator comprises a plurality of intersecting walls defining a plurality of cells; and

bonding the array of pixels onto the array of pixel contacts with a plurality of corresponding pixel interconnects comprising a plurality of bonding bumps positioned between corresponding ones of the pixels and pixel contacts, wherein the pixel interconnects are contained within the cells defined by the intersecting walls and the patterned electrical insulator does not physically contact the support substrate or the array of pixels.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13 wherein the method further comprises bonding the read-out integrated circuit onto a focal plane array substrate.

15. A method as claimed in claim 13 wherein the patterned electrical insulator is configured to block migration of the bonding bumps resulting from thermal cycling, thereby preventing electrical shorts between adjacent pixels of the pixel array.

16. A method as claimed in claim 13 wherein the patterned electrical insulator comprises a photosensitive cyclic olefin polymer.

17. A method of fabricating a focal plane array comprising:

forming an array of pixels capable of detecting optical radiation in a predetermined wavelength band onto a support substrate transparent to optical radiation in the predetermined wavelength band;

providing a read-out integrated circuit having an array of pixel contacts positioned such that the pixel contacts are aligned with the array of pixels;

affixing a patterned electrical insulator onto the read-out integrated circuit, wherein the patterned electrical insulator comprises a plurality of intersecting walls defining a plurality of cells; and

bonding the array of pixels onto the array of pixel contacts with a plurality of corresponding pixel interconnects comprising a plurality of bonding bumps positioned between corresponding ones of the pixels and pixel contacts;

wherein:

the pixel interconnects are contained within the cells defined by the intersecting walls and the patterned electrical insulator does not physically contact the support substrate or the array of pixels; and

the patterned electrical insulator comprises a photosensitive organic polymer material that is configured to contract and expand during temperature cycling of the focal plane array without fracturing the support substrate, the read-out integrated circuit, or the pixel interconnects.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17 wherein the patterned electrical insulator comprises a photosensitive cyclic olefin polymer.

19. A method as claimed in claim 17 wherein applying the patterned electrical insulator further comprises:

depositing a layer of the organic polymer onto the read-out integrated circuit;

heating the organic polymer and the read-out integrated circuit;

applying a patterned mask to the organic polymer patterned such that the pattern surrounds individual ones of the pixel contacts upon development;

exposing the patterned mask and the organic polymer to ultraviolet light;

applying a developer solvent to the organic polymer; and

rinsing the organic polymer with an organic solvent.

20. A method as claimed in claim 19 wherein applying the patterned electrical insulator further comprises removing residual organic polymer material on the read-out integrated circuit by a plasma ash process.

21. A method as claimed in claim 19 wherein the heating the organic polymer and the read-out integrated circuit comprises heating the organic polymer and the read-out integrated circuit at 100° C. for one minute.

22. A method as claimed in claim 19 wherein the organic polymer is deposited onto the read-out integrated circuit at about a 5 μm thickness.

23. A method as claimed in claim 17 wherein the electrical insulator is substantially free of outgassing during temperature cycling in the range of approximately 373 Kelvin to approximately 77 Kelvin.

24. A method of preventing indium migration in a focal plane array comprising a support substrate, a read-out integrated circuit comprising a plurality of pixel contacts and a plurality of pixels positioned on the support substrate having a gap therebetween and connected to corresponding pixel contacts by indium bumps, wherein the pixels, pixel contacts and indium bumps define a plurality of pixel interconnects having a gap therebetween, the method comprising;

affixing a patterned electrical insulator comprising a layer of photosensitive organic polymer onto the read-out integrated circuit within the gaps between the pixel interconnects such that the patterned electrical insulator surrounds each pixel interconnect and does not physically contact the transparent substrate or the plurality of pixels;

heating the organic polymer and the read-out integrated circuit;

applying a patterned mask to the organic polymer patterned such that the pattern surrounds individual ones of the pixel contacts upon development;

exposing the patterned mask and the organic polymer to ultraviolet light;

applying a developer solvent to the organic polymer; and

rinsing the organic polymer with an organic solvent.