Design, test, and operation of a small thermal imaging core

A test station for testing a micro-core comprising a focal plane array (FPA) microfabricated of a first material, a lens, a substrate of a second material carrying the FPA, a circuit element with a connector, and a temperature sensor for sensing a temperature indicative of the FPA temperature, wherein the first and second materials are substantially thermally matched, the FPA is bonded to the substrate, the optical element is attached to the housing, the housing is bonded to the substrate with the optical element disposed to expose the FPA to external scenes, the circuit element is configured to provide connections between the FPA and the connector, and the housing, substrate, and FPA assembled together are less than 1.5″ long and 0.5″ in all other dimensions, the test station comprising:

• a mount for at least one of a micro-core or a panel of a plurality of micro-cores comprising a heat sink that contacts the micro-core substrate adjacent to the FPA;
• a temperature inducing element that variably sets the heat sink temperature;
• an electronic interface for the micro-core providing power, control signals, data image acquisition interface to a test computer;
• a carousel comprising a plurality of independently temperature controlled black-bodies configured to present full-field flat known temperature scenes to the micro-core;
• wherein the black-bodies are curved black-bodies and the carousel is configured with the curved black-bodies on the inside of a cylinder, surrounding the micro-cores under test and rotatable to place each black body in view of each micro-core.