Method and apparatus for thermal gradient stabilization of microbolometer focal plane arrays

A focal plane array having a temperature stabilization apparatus comprising:

• a) a focal plane array;
• b) a thermal spreader attached to the focal plane array by a first thermally conducting attachment;
• c) a thermoelectric cooler having a top plate, wherein the thermoelectric cooler is attached to the thermal spreader by a second thermally conducting attachment;
• and
• d) at least one electrical lead attached to the focal plane array wherein the at least one electrical lead is thermally grounded to the thermoelectric cooler.

A temperature stabilization apparatus for a microbolometer focal plane array comprising:

• a) a vacuum housing further comprising a window and at least one hermetically sealed electrical feedthrough;
• b) a microbolometer focal plane array integrated on a chip enclosed within the vacuum housing, wherein the microbolometer focal plane array is disposed beneath the window to allow radiation to fall on the microbolometer focal plane array;
• c) a thermal spreader attached to the microbolometer focal plane array by a first thermally conducting attachment;
• d) a thermoelectric cooler having a top plate, wherein the top plate is attached to the thermal spreader by a second thermally conducting attachment that is less thermally conducting than the thermal spreader;
• e) at least one thermal shunt attached to the top plate by a third thermally conducting attachment;
• and
• f) at least one electrical lead thermally grounded to a respective one of the at least one thermal shunt, wherein the at least one electrical lead attaches at a first end to the microbolometer focal plane array and at a second end to a respective one of the at least one hermetically sealed electrical feedthrough.

A temperature stabilization apparatus comprising:

• a) at least one thermally sensitive detector;
• b) a means for stabilizing temperature thermally coupled to the at least one thermally sensitive detector;
• and
• c) a thermal spreader attached to the at least one thermally sensitive detector by a first thermally conducting attachment, wherein the thermal spreader is also coupled to the temperature stabilizing means by a second thermally conducting attachment wherein the second thermally conducting attachment has a thermal conductance that is substantially less than the thermal conductance of the thermal spreader.

A focal plane array apparatus having a temperature stabilization apparatus comprising:

• a) a focal plane array;
• b) a thermal spreader attached to the focal plane array by a first thermally conducting attachment;
• and
• c) a thermoelectric cooler having a top plate, wherein the thermoelectric cooler is attached to the thermal spreader by a second thermally conducting attachment;
• wherein the first thermally conducting attachment has a thermal conductance that is greater than a thermal conductance of the second thermally conducting attachment.

A focal plane array apparatus having a temperature stabilization apparatus comprising:

• a) a focal plane array;
• b) by a thermal spreader attached to the focal plane array by a first thermally conducting attachment;
• and
• c) a thermoelectric cooler having a top plate, wherein the thermoelectric cooler is attached to the thermal spreader by a second thermally conducting attachment;
• wherein the thermal spreader has a thermal conductance that is greater than a thermal conductance of the second thermally conducting attachment.

A temperature stabilization apparatus for a microbolometer focal plane array comprising:

• a) a vacuum housing further comprising a window and at least one hermetically sealed electrical feedthrough;
• b) a microbolometer focal plane array integrated on a chip enclosed within the vacuum housing, wherein the microbolometer focal plane array is disposed beneath the window to allow radiation to fall on the microbolometer focal plane array;
• c) a thermal spreader attached to the microbolometer focal plane array by a first thermally conducting attachment;
• and
• d) a thermoelectric cooler having a top plate, wherein the top plate is attached to the thermal spreader by a second thermally conducting attachment that is less thermally conducting than the first thermally conducting attachment.

A temperature stabilization apparatus comprising:

• a) at least one thermally sensitive detector;
• b) a means for stabilizing temperature thermally coupled to the at least one thermally sensitive detector;
• and
• c) a thermal spreader attached to the at least one thermally sensitive detector by a first thermally conducting attachment, wherein the thermal spreader is also coupled to the temperature stabilizing means by a second thermally conducting attachment wherein the second thermally conducting attachment has a thermal conductance that is substantially less than the thermal conductance of the first thermally conducting attachment.

A temperature stabilization apparatus comprising:

• a) at least one thermally sensitive detector;
• b) a thermoelectric cooler coupled to the at least one thermally sensitive temperature stabilizing a thermally sensitive detector, the apparatus comprising:
• means for receiving thermal cooling from a cooling source;
• means for spreading the thermal cooling to provide spread thermal cooling;
• means for compensating for heat flux transmitted to only a portion of the thermally sensitive detector by cooling the thermally sensitive detector via the spread thermal cooling;
• and
• means for thermally shunting an electrical line that is coupled to the at least one thermally sensitive detector.

An apparatus for temperature stabilizing a thermally sensitive detector, the apparatus comprising:

• means for receiving thermal cooling from a cooling source;
• means for spreading the thermal cooling to provide spread thermal cooling;
• and
• means for compensating for heat flux transmitted to only a portion of the thermally sensitive detector by cooling the thermally sensitive detector via the spread thermal cooling;
• wherein the means for spreading includes:
• means for coupling the cooling source to an intermediate cooling stage via a first thermally conducting attachment;
• and
• means for coupling the at least one thermally sensitive detector to the intermediate cooling stage via a second thermally conducting attachment having a thermal conductance that is greater than a thermal conductance of the first thermally conducting attachment.

An apparatus for temperature stabilizing a thermally sensitive detector, the apparatus comprising:

• means for receiving thermal cooling from a cooling source;
• means for spreading the thermal cooling to provide spread thermal cooling;
• means for compensating for heat flux transmitted to only a portion of the thermally sensitive detector by cooling the thermally sensitive detector via the spread thermal cooling;
• and
• means for thermally shunting an electrical line that is coupled to the at least one thermally sensitive detector.

A method for temperature stabilizing a thermally sensitive detector, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving thermal cooling from a cooling source;
• spreading the thermal cooling to provide spread thermal cooling;
• and compensating for heat flux transmitted to only a portion of the thermally sensitive detector by cooling the thermally sensitive detector via the spread thermal cooling;
• wherein the step of spreading includes the steps of:
• coupling the cooling source to an intermediate cooling stage via a first thermally conducting attachment;
• and
• coupling the at least one thermally sensitive detector to the intermediate cooling stage via a second thermally conducting attachment having a thermal conductance that is greater than a thermal conductance of the first thermally conducting attachment.

A method for temperature stabilizing a thermally sensitive detector, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving thermal cooling from a cooling source;
• spreading the thermal cooling to provide spread thermal cooling;
• compensating for heat flux transmitted to only a portion of the thermally sensitive detector by cooling the thermally sensitive detector via the spread thermal cooling;
• and
• thermally shunting an electrical line that is coupled to the at least one thermally sensitive detector.

An apparatus for temperature stabilizing a thermally sensitive detector, the apparatus comprising:

• a cooling device;
• and
• means, coupled to the cooling device and to the thermally sensitive detector, for spreading thermal cooling provided by the cooling device and for compensating for heat flux transmitted to only a portion of the thermally sensitive detector by cooling the thermally sensitive detector via the spread thermal cooling;
• wherein the means for spreading includes:
• an intermediate cooling stage coupled to the cooling device via a first thermally conducting attachment;
• and
• a second thermally conducting attachment that couples the at least one thermally sensitive detector to the intermediate cooling stage, the second thermally conducting attachment having a thermal conductance that is greater than a thermal conductance of the first thermally conducting attachment.

An apparatus for temperature stabilizing a thermally sensitive detector, the apparatus comprising:

• a cooling device;
• means, coupled to the cooling device and to the thermally sensitive detector, for spreading thermal cooling provided by the cooling device and for compensating for heat flux transmitted to only a portion of the thermally sensitive detector by cooling the thermally sensitive detector via the spread thermal cooling;
• and
• means for thermally shunting an electrical line that is coupled to the at least one thermally sensitive detector.

A temperature stabilization apparatus comprising:

• at least one thermally sensitive detector comprising a focal plane array;
• a means for stabilizing temperature thermally coupled to the at least one thermally sensitive detector;
• at least one thermal shunt thermally coupled to the temperature stabilizing means wherein the at least one thermal shunt includes a means for carrying a thermally stabilized electrical signal that is electrically connected to the at least one thermally sensitive element and an electrical terminal;
• and
• a thermal spreader attached to the at least one thermally sensitive element by a first thermally conducting attachment, wherein the thermal spreader is coupled to the temperature stabilizing means by a second thermally conducting attachment, wherein the second thermally conducting attachment has a thermal conductance that is less than the thermal conductance of the thermal spreader.