Residual fixed pattern noise and random telegraph signal noise of a MWIR T2SL focal plane array

International audienceStability over time has recently become a figure of merit of major importance to compare the performances of infrared focal plane arrays (FPA) of different technologies. Indeed, this parameter dictates how often the calibration of operational electro-optical systems has to be done, and thus reflects the availability of the system during an operational mission. The stability over time is generally estimated through fixed pattern noise (FPN) and residual fixed pattern noise (RFPN) measurements after a two-point correction. However, each laboratory or industrial has its own protocols and criteria, such that published results cannot be easily compared. Recent studies also showed that random telegraph signal (RTS) noise, which leads to flickering pixels, can strongly affect the image quality, so the question arises as to wether these RTS pixels have an effect on RFPN. In this paper, we describe our experimental protocol to evaluate the stability over time of an FPA and to count up/classify flickering pixels. We then present the results obtained on a T2SL MWIR Integrated Detector Dewar Cooler Assembly (IDDCA) provided by IRnova. Our measurements show that the stability over time of the T2SL MWIR IDDCA are excellent: first, in terms of FPN/RFPN; then, in terms of RTS noise with only a few blinking pixels. We also show that the RTS pixels having an effect on the RFPN are fully detected by the algorithm used to rule out defective pixels before calculating RFPN