Infrared sensor and method for cooling bolometer infrared ray receiver of infrared sensor

An infrared sensor comprising:

• a base substrate including a recess;
• a thermopile infrared ray receiver;
• and
• a Peltier device, wherein:
• the thermopile infrared ray receiver comprises:
• an infrared ray absorption layer;
• a thermopile first beam thermally connected to the infrared ray absorption layer and formed of a first p-type semiconductor material;
• and
• a thermopile second beam thermally connected to the infrared ray absorption layer and formed of first n-type semiconductor material,
• the Peltier device is interposed between the thermopile infrared ray receiver and the recess,
• a front surface of the thermopile infrared ray receiver is irradiated with the infrared ray,
• the Peltier device comprises a Peltier first beam formed of a second p-type semiconductor material and a Peltier second beam formed of a second n-type semiconductor material,
• the Peltier device is in contact with a back surface of the thermopile infrared ray receiver,
• one end of the thermopile first beam, one end of the thermopile second beam, one end of the Peltier first beam, and one end of the Peltier second beam are connected to the base substrate,
• the thermopile infrared ray receiver, the Peltier device, the thermopile first beam, the thermopile second beam, the Peltier first beam, and the Peltier second beam are suspended above the base substrate,
• the thermopile first beam has a first phononic crystal structure including a plurality of through holes arranged regularly,
• the thermopile second beam has a second phononic crystal structure including a plurality of through holes arranged regularly,
• the Peltier first beam has a third phononic crystal structure including a plurality of through holes arranged regularly,
• the Peltier second beam has a fourth phononic crystal structure including a plurality of through holes arranged regularly,
• the thermopile first beam, the thermopile second beam, the Peltier first beam, and the Peltier second beam respectively include a first domain, a second domain, a third domain, and a fourth domain,
• the first domain includes a plurality of first sub domains regularly arranged with a first period,
• the second domain includes a plurality of second sub domains regularly arranged with a second period,
• the third domain includes a plurality of third sub domains regularly arranged with a third period,
• the fourth domain includes a plurality of fourth sub domains regularly arranged with a fourth period,
• the plurality of first sub domains are each formed of a phononic crystal including a plurality of through holes regularly arranged with a fifth period,
• the plurality of second sub domains are each formed of a phononic crystal including a plurality of through holes regularly arranged with a sixth period,
• the plurality of third sub domains are each formed of a phononic crystal including a plurality of through holes regularly arranged with a seventh period, and
• the plurality of fourth sub domains are each formed of a phononic crystal including a plurality of through holes regularly arranged with an eighth period.

An infrared sensor comprising:

• a base substrate;
• a thermopile infrared ray receiver;
• and
• a Peltier device, wherein:
• the thermopile infrared ray receiver comprises:
• an infrared ray absorption layer;
• a thermopile first beam thermally connected to the infrared ray absorption layer;
• and
• a thermopile second beam thermally connected to the infrared ray absorption layer,
• the Peltier device comprises a Peltier first beam and a Peltier second beam,
• one end of the thermopile first beam, one end of the thermopile second beam, one end of the Peltier first beam, and one end of the Peltier second beam are connected to the base substrate,
• the thermopile infrared ray receiver, the Peltier device, the thermopile first beam, the thermopile second beam, the Peltier first beam, and the Peltier second beam are suspended above the base substrate,
• at least a part of the thermopile first beam comprises a first phononic crystal structure composed of a plurality of through holes arranged regularly,
• at least a part of the thermopile second beam comprises a second phononic crystal structure composed of a plurality of through holes arranged regularly,
• at least a part of the Peltier first beam comprises a third phononic crystal structure composed of a plurality of through holes arranged regularly,
• at least a part of the Peltier second beam comprises a fourth phononic crystal structure composed of a plurality of through holes arranged regularly,
• the thermopile first beam, the thermopile second beam, the Peltier first beam, and the Peltier second beam respectively include a first domain, a second domain, a third domain, and a fourth domain,
• the first domain includes a plurality of first sub domains regularly arranged with a first period,
• the second domain includes a plurality of second sub domains regularly arranged with a second period,
• the third domain includes a plurality of third sub domains regularly arranged with a third period,
• the fourth domain includes a plurality of fourth sub domains regularly arranged with a fourth period,
• the plurality of first sub domains are each formed of a phononic crystal comprising a plurality of through holes regularly arranged with a fifth period,
• the plurality of second sub domains are each formed of a phononic crystal comprising a plurality of through holes regularly arranged with a sixth period,
• the plurality of third sub domains are each formed of a phononic crystal comprising a plurality of through holes regularly arranged with a seventh period, and
• the plurality of fourth sub domains are each formed of a phononic crystal comprising a plurality of through holes regularly arranged with an eighth period.