• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.12-17
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• 2015

In this study, we analyzed and showed the enhanced thermal resolution of a lock-in infrared thermography system by employing a blackbody system and micro-register sample. The noise level or thermal resolution of an infrared camera system is usually expressed by a noise equivalent temperature difference (NETD), which is the mean square of the deviation of the different values measured for one pixel from its mean values obtained in successive measurements. However, for lock-in thermography, a more convenient quantity in the phase-independent temperature modulation amplitude can be acquired. On the basis of results, it was observed that the NETD or thermal resolution of the lock-in thermography system was significantly enhanced, which we consider to have been caused by the averaging and filtering effects of the lock-in technique.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics and Information Engineers
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• v.52 no.11
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• pp.36-43
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• 2015

A pixel-level readout circuit is studied for 2-dimensional microbolometer focal plane arrays (FPAs). A current mirroring injection (CMI) input circuit with 2-step current-mode bias suppression is proposed for a pixel-level architecture with high responsivity and long integration time. The proposed circuit has been designed using a $0.35-{\mu}m$ 2-poly 4-metal CMOS process for a $320{\times}240$ microbolometer array with a pixel size of $50{\mu}m{\times}50{\mu}m$. The proposed 2-step bias-current suppression has sufficiently low calibration error with wide calibration range, and the calibration range and error can be easily optimized by controlling some design parameters. Due to high responsivity and a long integration time of more than 1 ms, the noise equivalent temperature difference (NETD) of the proposed circuit can be improved to 26 mK, which is much better than that of the conventional circuits, 67 mK.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics and Information Engineers
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• v.51 no.10
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• pp.80-86
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• 2014

A low-noise readout circuit is studied for 2-D capacitive microbolometer focal plane arrays (FPAs). In spite of the merits of the integration method, a simple and effective pixelwise readout circuit without integration is used for input circuit because of a small pixel size and narrow noise bandwidth. To reduce the power consumption and the kT/C noise, which is the dominant noise of the capacitive microbolometer FPAs with small capacitance, a new correlated double sampling (CDS) is used for columnwise circuit. The proposed circuit has been designed using a $0.35-{\mu}m$ 2-poly 4-metal CMOS process for a microbolometer array with a pixel size of $50{\mu}m{\times}50{\mu}m$. The proposed circuit effectively reduces the kT/C noise and the other low-frequency noise of microbolometer, and the noise characteristics of the fabricated chip have been verified by measurements. The rms noise voltage of the proposed circuit is reduced from 30 % to 55 % compared to that of the simple readout input circuit, and the noise equivalent temperature difference (NETD) of the proposed circuit is very low value of 21.5 mK.

• Aerospace Engineering and Technology
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.79-86
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• 2007

In order to operate Low Earth Orbit(LEO) satellite on space, technical requirements and administrative procedure which are defined by the International Telecommunication Union(ITU) should be followed on satellite development. Main technical requirements to follow are purpose of use, bandwidth, Radio Frequency(RF) intensity, and constraints on new satellite network about existing satellite networks according to frequency spectrum. Such ITU's requirements are reflected and designed on system specification and space to ground interface control document. In order to have a right and protection about using the satellite network on space, the satellite network has to be registered on Master International Frequency Register(MIFR) and procedure for this has to be followed. Coordination with countries raising objection is needed in order to register. And reference and method for coordination are also needed.