Integrated circuit infrared sensor and associated methods

An integrated circuit sensor comprising:

• a substrate;
• and
• a plurality of infrared sensing elements on said substrate, each infrared sensing element comprising
• at least one first thermocouple junction heated from infrared radiation,
• at least one solid layer between said substrate and said at least one first thermocouple junction so that there is no void therebetween,
• at least one second thermocouple junction connected to said at least one first thermocouple junction, and
• a controller alternatingly detecting a temperature difference between said at least one first thermocouple junction and said at least one second thermocouple junction, and pumping heat between said at least one first thermocouple junction and at least one second thermocouple junction to drive the detected temperature difference toward a desired value.

An integrated circuit biometric sensor comprising:

• a substrate;
• a plurality of infrared sensing elements on said substrate, each infrared sensing element comprising
• at least one first thermocouple junction heated from infrared radiation,
• at least one second thermocouple junction connected to said at least one first thermocouple junction, and
• a controller detecting a temperature difference between said at least one first thermocouple junction and said at least one second thermocouple junction, and pumping heat between said at least one first thermocouple junction and at least one second thermocouple junction to drive the detected temperature difference toward a desired value,
• said controller also generating an infrared radiation output signal based upon the heat pumped;
• and
• biometric processing circuitry connected to said controllers.

An integrated circuit sensor comprising:

• a substrate;
• and
• at least one heat sensing element on said substrate and comprising
• at least one first thermocouple junction,
• at least one second thermocouple junction connected to said at least one first thermocouple junction, and
• a controller detecting a temperature difference between said at least one first thermocouple junction and said at least one second thermocouple junction, and pumping heat between said at least one first thermocouple junction and at least one second thermocouple junction to drive the detected temperature difference toward a desired value,
• said controller also generating a heat output signal based upon the heat pumped.

A method for infrared sensing using an integrated circuit sensor comprising a substrate and at least one infrared sensing element on the substrate, the at least one infrared sensing element comprising at least one first thermocouple junction heated from infrared radiation, and at least one second thermocouple junction connected to the at least one first thermocouple junction, the method comprising:

• detecting a temperature difference between the at least one first thermocouple junction and the at least one second thermocouple junction;
• pumping heat between the at least one first thermocouple junction and at least one second thermocouple junction to drive the detected temperature difference toward a desired value;
• and
• generating an infrared radiation output signal based upon the heat pumped.