Infrared source

A sealed infrared radiation source, comprising an emitter membrane being stimulated by an electrical current conducted through said membrane, said membrane thus comprising an electrical conductor,

• wherein the membrane comprises an electrically conductive heater layer and a highly Boron or Phosphor doped silicon layer being in thermal contact with but electrically insulated from the heater layer;
• wherein the membrane is enclosed within a housing comprising a first housing part and a second housing part, at least one of the first housing part and the second housing part being transparent in the IR range, and each housing part defining a cavity between the membrane and the respective housing part on each side of the membrane;
• and
• wherein the housing parts are at least partially electrically conductive, the first housing part being electrically coupled to a first end of said electrical conductor and insulated from a second end of said electrical conductor, and the second housing part being electrically coupled to the second end of said electrical conductor and being insulated from the first end of said electrical conductor, thus allowing a current applied between an exterior portion of the first housing part and an exterior portion of the second housing part to pass through and heat said membrane.