System and method for multi-channel pyrometer allowing non-contact temperature measurements down to 800 K on the microsecond scale

A system for sensing temperature changes on a microsecond scale, the system including:

• a multi-channel pyrometer configured to operate within a wavelength range of about 1000 nm to 2500 nm, and to receive thermal radiation, each said channel of the multi-channel pyrometer being tuned to operate at specific wavelength within the 1000 nm to 2500 nm range, each said channel of the multi-channel pyrometer and including:
• an interference filter tuned to pass thermal radiation within a specified wavelength range, and at a specified center wavelength;
• an objective lens;
• and
• a solid-state detector for detecting thermal radiation focused on the detector by the objective lens;
• the interference filter operating to reflect thermal radiation which does not pass through the interference filter to a subsequent downstream interference filter of a subsequent channel of the multi-channel pyrometer, with each said subsequent interference filter being oriented to reflect the thermal radiation not passing therethrough to a next downstream one of the subsequent interference filters;
• a power supply for powering a specific one of the solid-state detectors;
• an analog-to-digital (ND) converter for receiving an output from the solid-state detector of each one of the channels of the multi-channel pyrometer;
• and
• an interface subsystem for interfacing an output of the A/D converter to a subsystem for analysis and determination of temperature data being sensed by each one of the solid-state detectors;
• at least a first subplurality of the channels being configured to operate within a 1000 nm to 1700 nm wavelength range, and including detectors formed from germanium;
• and
• at least a second subplurality of the channels being configured to operate within a 1200 nm to at 2500 nm wavelength range, and including detectors formed from Indium Gallium Arsenide.

A method for sensing temperature changes on a microsecond scale, the method including:

• using a multi-channel pyrometer having a first subplurality of channels configured to operate within a first wavelength range of 1000 nm to 1700 nm, and a second subplurality of channels configured to operate within a second wavelength range of 1200 nm to 2500 nm;
• using the channels of the multi-channel pyrometer to receive thermal radiation;
• using a plurality of interference filters each being uniquely associated with a specific one of the first or second subpluralities of channels, and each being tuned to pass only the thermal radiation within a specified wavelength range;
• using a plurality of detectors each being uniquely associated with a specific one of the first or second subpluralities of channels, and each further being uniquely associated with a specific one of the plurality of interference filters, to detect the thermal radiation that passes through its associated said interference filter, at least one of the detectors configured to operate in the first wavelength range being a germanium-based detector, and at least one of the detectors configured to operate in the second wavelength range being an Indium Gallium Arsenide-based detector;
• and
• further using each one of the plurality of interference filters to reflect thermal radiation which does not pass through it, to a subsequent downstream interference filter of a subsequent channel of the multi-channel pyrometer, with each said subsequent one of the interference filters being oriented to reflect the thermal radiation not passing therethrough to a next downstream one of the subsequent interference filters;
• and
• converting signals from the detectors to temperature data.