System and method for removing oxide from a sensor clip assembly

1. A method for removing oxide comprising:

providing an enclosed and controlled environment, the temperature of the enclosed and controlled environment maintained below 156 degrees Celsius;

placing a focal plane array within the enclosed and controlled environment, the focal plane array comprising at least one interconnect component formed of indium, wherein an oxide layer is formed on the at least one interconnect component;

supplying nitrogen gas within the enclosed and controlled environment to substantially purge the enclosed and controlled environment of oxygen;

exposing the at least one interconnect component of the focal plane array to a formic acid vapor; and

while exposing the at least one interconnect component to the formic acid vapor, exposing the at least one interconnect component to UV light, wherein the simultaneous exposure of the at least one interconnect component to the formic acid vapor and the UV light results in a substantial removal of the oxide layer formed on the at least one interconnect component.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising after the substantial removal of the oxide layer from the at least one interconnect component and while the focal plane array is within the enclosed and controlled environment, mating the at least interconnect component with a second interconnect component; and

soldering the first interconnect component and the second interconnect component to form an interconnect.

3. A method for removing oxide comprising:

placing a sensor chip assembly within an enclosed and controlled environment, the sensor chip assembly having an oxide layer formed on an indium portion of the sensor chip assembly;

exposing the portion of the sensor chip assembly to a reactive gas comprising a formic acid vapor; and

while exposing the portion of the sensor chip assembly to the reactive gas, exposing the portion of the sensor chip assembly to UV light to result in a substantial removal of the oxide layer formed on the indium portion of the sensor chip assembly.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising maintaining a temperature of the enclosed and controlled environment below 156 degrees Celsius.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the sensor chip assembly comprises a Focal Plane Array (FPA).

6. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

using the UV light to disassociate the formic acid vapor to create a plurality of radicals; and

reacting the radicals with the oxide layer to result in the substantial removal of the oxide layer from the portion of the sensor chip assembly.

7. The method of claim 3 , wherein the reactive gas comprises a formic acid selected from the group consisting of methanoic acid, Aminic acid, Formylic acid, Hydrogen carboxylic acid, Hydroxymethanone, Hydroxy(oxo)methane, Metacarbonoic acid, Oxocarbinic acid, and Oxomethanol.

8. The method of claim 3 , wherein exposing the portion of the sensor chip assembly to the reactive gas comprises exposing the portion of the sensor chip assembly to the reactive gas for at least 5 minutes.

9. The method of claim 3 , wherein:

the sensor chip assembly comprises one or more of a detector array and a readout integrated circuit; and

the indium portion on which the oxide layer is formed comprises an interconnect of one or more of the detector array and a readout integrated circuit.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the sensor chip assembly comprises:

a first component comprising a detector array having a first interconnect component; and

a second component comprising a readout integrated circuit having a second interconnect component, and

wherein the indium portion of the sensor chip assembly on which the oxide layer is formed comprises one or more of the first interconnect component and the second interconnect component.

11. The method of claim 3 , further comprising supplying nitrogen gas within the enclosed and controlled environment to substantially purge the enclosed and controlled environment of oxygen.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the reactive gas comprises approximately 40-50% and the nitrogen gas comprises approximately 50-60% of the controlled environment.

13. A method for removing oxide comprising:

placing a sensor chip assembly within an enclosed and controlled environment, the sensor chip assembly having an oxide layer formed on a portion of the sensor chip assembly, wherein the sensor chip assembly comprises one or more of a detector array and a readout integrated circuit and the portion on which the oxide layer is formed comprises an interconnect of one or more of the detector array and a readout integrated circuit;

the sensor chip assembly further comprising a first component comprising a detector array having a first interconnect component, and a second component comprising a readout integrated circuit having a second interconnect component, and wherein the portion of the sensor chip assembly on which the oxide layer is formed comprises one or more of the first interconnect component and the second interconnect component;

exposing the portion of the sensor chip assembly to a reactive gas;

while exposing the portion of the sensor chip assembly to the reactive gas, exposing the portion of the sensor chip assembly to UV light to result in a substantial removal of the oxide layer formed on the portion of the sensor chip assembly;

after the substantial removal of the oxide layer from the portion of the sensor chip assembly and while the sensor chip assembly is within the enclosed and controlled environment, mating the first interconnect component with the second interconnect component; and

soldering the first interconnect component and the second interconnect component to form an interconnect.