MEMS radiometer
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics S.r.l.
InventorPatrick Jankowiak
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A radiometer sensor includes a target plate and a micro-mechanical spring which supports the target plate above a base support. This construction allows for displacement of the target plate in a direction perpendicular to the base support in response to radiation which is received by a top surface of the target plate. The sensor is enclosed within a housing that defines a sealed interior chamber within which a vacuum has been drawn. The target plate preferably is non-deformable in response to received radiation. Capacitive or piezoelectric sensors are provided to detect the displacement of the target plate, and the measured displacement is correlated to determine a received radiation level. Radiometer sensor output signals are quantized and signal processed so as to make a radiation level determination.
Claims33
A radiometer, comprising:
- a base support;
- a target plate;
- and
- a micro-mechanical spring which supports the target plate above the base support and allows for displacement of the target plate in a direction generally perpendicular to the base support in response to radiation which is received by a top surface of the target plate, the micro-mechanical spring being a compression spring positioned underneath the target plate.
A radiometer, comprising:
- an array of a multiplicity of individual radiometer sensors, each sensor comprising:
- a target plate;
- and
- a micro-mechanical spring which supports the target plate above a base support for the array and allows for displacement of the target plate in a direction generally perpendicular to the base support in response to radiation which is received by a top surface of the target plates the micro-mechanical spring being a compression spring positioned underneath the target plate.
A radiometer, comprising:
- a housing defining a sealed interior chamber within which a vacuum has been drawn;
- a target plate positioned within the housing that is non-deformable in response to radiation which is received by a top surface of the target plate;
- and
- a micro-mechanical spring which supports the target plate above a base support of the housing and allows for displacement of the target plate in a direction generally perpendicular to the base support in response to the received radiation, the micro-mechanical spring being a compression spring positioned underneath the target plate.
A radiometer, comprising:
- an array of radiometer sensors each generating a radiometer sensor output signal, each sensor comprising:
- a target plate;
- and
- a micro-mechanical spring which supports the target plate above a base support for the array and allows for displacement of the target plate in a direction generally perpendicular to the base support in response to radiation which is received by a top surface of the target plate the micro-mechanical spring being a compression spring positioned underneath the target plate;
- a quantizer for converting the radiometer sensor output signals to a predetermined format;
- and
- a signal processor for processing the radiometer sensor output signals in the predetermined format to output radiometric level data.
A radiometer, comprising:
- a base support;
- a target plate;
- and
- a micro-mechanical spring which supports the target plate above the base support and allows for displacement of the target plate in a direction generally perpendicular to the base support in response to radiation which is received by a top surface of the target plate, the micro-mechanical spring being a cantilever spring positioned adjacent the target plate.
A radiometer, comprising:
- an array of a multiplicity of individual radiometer sensors, each sensor comprising:
- a target plate;
- and
- a micro-mechanical spring which supports the target plate above a base support for the array and allows for displacement of the target plate in a direction generally perpendicular to the base support in response to radiation which is received by a top surface of the target plate, the micro-mechanical spring being a cantilever spring positioned adjacent the target plate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.