Pyroelectric infrared detection system

Abstract

A pyroelectric infrared radiation detection system includes a high density solid state pyroelectric detector array for detecting infrared radiation impinging thereon and for producing signals representing the detected radiation, apparatus for readout of the signals from the detector array, and an optical chopper for successively interrupting the radiation impinging on the detector array. In some applications, an integrating device for integrating the signals produced by the detector array would also be included. The optical chopper interrupts or chops the infrared radiation at a relatively high rate to reduce thermal diffusion in the detector array and thereby improve the spatial resolution. In low radiation intensity applications, signals which might otherwise be lost due to the fast chopping are recovered by providing electronic integration or accumulation of the signals produced by the detector array.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.