Frequency-Selective Metasurface Integrated Uncooled Microbolometers
AssigneeThe Curators of the University of Missouri
InventorsMahmoud Almasri, Edward Kinzel
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Abstract
A metasurface integrated microbolometer having a sensing layer (e.g., SixGeyO1-x-y). The presence of the metasurface provides selectivity with respect to wavelength, polarization and angle-of-incidence. The presence of the metasurface into the microbolometer affects conversion of electromagnetic to thermal energy, thermal response, electrical integration of the microbolometer, and the tradeoff between resistivity and temperature coefficient of resistance, thereby allowing the ability to obtain a sensing with high temperature coefficient of resistance with lower resistivity values than that of films without the metasurface. The presence of the metasurface removes the need for a Fabry-Perot cavity.
Claims20
A metasurface integrated uncooled microbolometer comprising:
- a substrate;
- and
- at least one pixel, wherein each pixel comprises a sensing portion and a support, wherein the support is configured to connect the sensing portion of the pixel to a surface of the substrate and space the sensing portion of the pixel from the substrate, and wherein the sensing portion comprises:
- an infrared (IR) sensing layer that comprises a semiconductor;
- a patterned metal on a surface of the IR sensing layer;
- a ground layer;
- and
- an insulator layer configured to electrically isolate the IR sensing layer from the ground layer.
A method of fabricating a metasurface integrated uncooled microbolometer, comprising:
- providing a substrate;
- and
- forming at least one pixel on the substrate, the forming of each pixel comprising:
- forming a sensing portion;
- and
- forming a support, wherein the support is configured to connect the sensing portion of the pixel to a surface of the substrate and space the sensing portion of the pixel from the substrate, and wherein the forming of the sensing portion comprises:
- forming an infrared (IR) sensing layer that comprises a semiconductor;
- forming a patterned metal on a surface of the IR sensing layer;
- forming a ground layer;
- and
- forming an insulator layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.