Infrared radiation detector having a reduced active area

A microbridge detector, comprising:

• a semiconductor substrate;
• a microbridge disposed above the semiconductor substrate, the microbridge including an active area of the microbridge detector;
• downwardly extending leg portions which are a continuation of the microbridge and which support the microbridge above the semiconductor substrate so that a thermal isolation gap exists between the microbridge and the semiconductor substrate;
• electrically conductive paths included within said downwardly extending leg portions connecting the active area to the semiconductor substrate;
• and
• means for collecting incident radiation with the microbridge detector over a pixel collection area that is greater than the active area of the microbridge detector.

A microbridge detector, comprising:

• a semiconductor substrate;
• a microbridge disposed above the semiconductor substrate, the microbridge including an active area that is patterned with alternating absorption regions and transmissive windows to create an active area that is smaller than a pixel collection area of the microbridge detector;
• downwardly extending leg portions which are a continuation of the microbridge and which support the microbridge above the semiconductor substrate so that a thermal isolation gap exists between the microbridge and the semiconductor substrate;
• and
• electrically conductive paths included within the downwardly extending leg portions connecting the active area to the semiconductor substrate.

A microbridge detector, comprising:

• a semiconductor substrate;
• a microbridge disposed above the semiconductor substrate, the microbridge including an active area that is substantially rectangular and located substantially at a center of the microbridge;
• downwardly extending leg portions which are a continuation of the microbridge and which support the microbridge above the semiconductor substrate so that a thermal isolation gap exists between the microbridge and the semiconductor substrate;
• and
• electrically conductive paths included within the downwardly extending leg portions including first and second electrically conductive paths connected to a first end and a second end of the active area and which are spirally wound around the active area, the first and second electrically conductive paths configured so as to act as antennas to absorb incident radiation and to couple the incident radiation to the active area so as to create a pixel collection area greater than the active area, the first and second electrically conductive paths coupling a signal indicating a change in temperature of the active area to the semiconductor substrate in response to the incident radiation.

An imaging system, comprising:

• an optical element that receives an electromagnetic signal, focusses the electromagnetic signal and outputs a focussed signal;
• a focal plane array including a plurality of detector devices disposed in the array, wherein each detector device detects the focussed signal, converts the focussed signal into a sensed signal and outputs the sensed signal to provide a plurality of sensed signals at an output of the focal plane array, and wherein each detector device includes an active area that is smaller than a pixel collection area of the detector device;
• a focal plane array processor that receives the plurality of sensed signals, processes the plurality of sensed signals to correct any gain and any offset errors between each of the plurality of sensed signals, and outputs a plurality of processed signals;
• a display processor that receives the plurality of processed signals, converts the plurality of processed signals into a display signal suitable for output to a display, and that outputs the display signal;
• and
• a display that receives the display signal and displays the display signal so as to display an image of a scene or object that emitted the electromagnetic signal.

A microbridge detector, comprising:

• a semiconductor substrate;
• a microbridge disposed above the semiconductor substrate, including an active area;
• a concentrator, disposed between the microbridge and the semiconductor substrate, that reflects incident radiation not initially absorbed by the active area towards the active area to create a pixel collection area of the microbridge detector that is greater than the active area;
• downwardly extending leg portions which are a continuation of the microbridge and which support the microbridge above the semiconductor substrate so that a thermal isolation gap exists between the microbridge and the semiconductor substrate;
• and
• electrically conductive paths included within said downwardly extending leg portions connecting the active area to the semiconductor substrate.