Microbolometer apparatus, methods, and applications
AssigneeArizona Board of Regents on Behalf of the University of Arizona
InventorStanley Pau
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A polarization and color sensitive pixel device and a focal plane array made therefrom. Each incorporates a thick color/polarization filter stack and microlens array for visible (0.4-0.75 micron), near infrared (0.75-3 micron), mid infrared (3-8 micron) and long wave infrared (8-15 micron) imaging. A thick pixel filter has a thickness of between about one to 10× the operational wavelength, while a thick focal plane array filter is on the order of or larger than the size or up to 10× the pitch of the pixels in the focal plane array. The optical filters can be precisely fabricated on a wafer. A filter array can be mounted directly on top of an image sensor to create a polarization camera. Alternatively, the optical filters can be fabricated directly on the image sensor.
Claims7
An integrated microbolometer for mid to long wave infrared imaging, comprising:
- a substrate;
- an infrared absorbing layer disposed on a surface of the substrate;
- a thick optical filter component having a size and a thickness wherein the size matches the size of a pixel and the thickness is between 8 microns and 150 microns, disposed optically adjacent the infrared absorbing layer;
- and
- an optical component having an input and an output, adapted to focus and guide an incident light at the input to the thick optical filter component, wherein the optical component comprises a microlens and a waveguide.
An integrated microbolometer for mid to long wave infrared imaging, comprising:
- a substrate;
- an infrared absorbing layer disposed on a surface of the substrate;
- a thick optical filter component having a size and a thickness wherein the size matches the size of a pixel and the thickness is between 8 microns and 150 microns, disposed optically adjacent the infrared absorbing layer;
- and
- an optical component having an input and an output, adapted to focus an incident light at the input to the thick optical filter component, wherein the optical component comprises a microlens and a waveguide.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.