Infrared imager
AssigneeHer Majesty the Queen in right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of National Defence of Her Majesty's Canadian Government
InventorsPhilips Laou, Linh Ngo Phong
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An infrared imager for detecting infrared (IR) radiation of a scene in a field of view (FOV) of an optical system and converting the IR into a visible image wherein the imager consists of an array of uncooled microbolometers in a focal plane of the optical system and a array of light emitting diode (LED) or liquid crystal display (LCD) elements. The IR radiation collected by the microbolometer produces a change in an electrical output applied to electronic circuitry connected to the array of LEDs or LCDs. The electronic circuitry controls the intensity of a LED element or the reflectance of an LCD element. As a result, the imager converts the infrared radiation from the scene into visible light. The light reflected from the LCD or produced by LEDs in an array constitutes the scene image.
Claims8
An infrared imager to convert an infrared image from a scene to a visible image, said imager comprising an array of bolometers on a substrate, each bolometer comprising a supporting layer and pillars supporting said supporting layer above said substrate and said imager further comprising a layer of infrared sensitive material located on said supporting layer on a side of the supporting layer remote from said substrate, electronic circuitry, disposed on the substrate and connected to each end of the infrared sensitive material via electrodes, for processing signals produced as the infrared sensitive material is subjected to infrared radiation, and a visual display element to which said signals are applied and the brightness of which provides a visual indication of the amount of infrared radiation received by the infrared sensitive material, said visual display element being mounted on said substrate and comprising a thin film organic light emitting diode.
An infrared imager to convert an infrared image from a scene to a visible image, said imager comprising an array of bolometers on a substrate, each bolometer comprising a supporting layer and pillars supporting said supporting layer above said substrate and said imager further comprising a layer of infrared sensitive material located on said supporting layer on a side of the supporting layer remote from said substrate, electronic circuitry, disposed on the substrate and connected to each end of the infrared sensitive material via electrodes, for processing signals produced as the infrared sensitive material is subjected to infrared radiation, and a visual display element to which said signals are applied and the brightness of which provides a visual indication of the amount of infrared radiation received by the infrared sensitive material, said visual display element being mounted on said substrate and comprising a thin film organic liquid crystal display.
An infrared imager to convert an infrared image from a scene to a visible image, said imager comprising an array of bolometers on a substrate, each bolometer comprising a supporting layer and pillars supporting said supporting layer above said substrate and said imager further comprising a layer of infrared sensitive material located on said supporting layer on a side of the supporting layer remote from said substrate, monolithic electronic circuitry, disposed on the substrate and connected to each end of the infrared sensitive material via electrodes, for processing signals produced as the infrared sensitive material is subjected to infrared radiation, and a visual display element to which said signals are applied and the brightness of which provides a visual indication of the amount of infrared radiation received by the infrared sensitive material, said visual display element being disposed on a second substrate and being connected to said electronic circuitry by external electrical connections, and said visual display element comprising one of a thin film organic light emitting diode and a thin film organic liquid crystal display.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.