Infrared/visible energy protection for millimeter wave bolometer antenna method and apparatus
AssigneeRaytheon Company
InventorsJan Grinberg, Michael D. Jack
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for protecting a bolometer antenna imaging array from out of band electromagnetic energy is disclosed. Protective pads are disposed upon a window in an optical system forming a millimeter wave image on an array of bolometer antenna sensors. The protective pads are effectively opaque to infrared and visible emissions and are aligned to shade the bolometer portion of the bolometer antennas from infrared and visible emissions, while leaving the antenna portion of each sensor in the array exposed to intercept the millimeter wave energy incident upon them.
Claims23
A sensor comprising:
- a housing;
- an antenna supported within said housing, said antenna further comprising a bolometer;
- and
- a protective pad aligned with said bolometer.
An improved sensor, having a housing with a window and an antenna supported therein and located adjacent to the window, the antenna having a bolometer portion, the improvement comprising:
- a protective pad aligned with the bolometer.
A method of protecting a sensor from infrared and visible radiation, the sensor having a housing with a window and an antenna supported therein and located adjacent to the window, the antenna having a bolometer portion, comprising the steps of:
- forming a protective pad on a surface of the window in a position located adjacent to the bolometer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.