Abstract
In this thesis we describe the design and fabrication of a CMOS MEMS Infrared thermal sensor fabricated in a 0.35-□m CMOS process. A PMOS transistor operated in the sub-threshold region is used for the thermal sensing purpose. The pixel size is 70 □m by 70 □m, and the sensing transistor is placed in a released membrane of 50 □m by 50 □m fabricated by successive dry etching steps. For device characterization, a poly-silicon heater is placed in each pixel to provide a temperature change at 0.072□C/mW. The MOS output resistance changes from 108 M□ to 90 M□ for a temperature rise of 6□C, averaging a temperature coefficient of resistance at -3.17%/□C. The measured input-referred noise voltage from the pre-amp is 7 □V/□Hz, equivalent to a noise temperature of 1.3 mK/□Hz.