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AssigneeHeimann Sensor GmbH
InventorsWilhelm Leneke, Marion Simon, Mischa Schulze, Karlheinz Storck, Joerg Schieferdecker
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A thermopile infrared sensor array, comprises a sensor chip with a number of thermopile sensor elements, made from a semiconductor substrate and corresponding electronic components. The sensor chip is mounted on a support circuit board and enclosed by a cap in which a lens is arranged. The aim is the production of a monolithic infrared sensor array with a high thermal resolution capacity with a small chip size and which may be economically produced. The aim is achieved by arranging a thin membrane made from non-conducting material on the semiconductor substrate of the sensor chip on which the thermopile sensor elements are located in an array. Under each thermopile sensor element, the back side of the membrane is uncovered in a honeycomb pattern by etching and the electronic components are arranged in the boundary region of the sensor chip. An individual pre-amplifier with a subsequent low-pass filter may be provided for each column and each row of sensor elements.
Thermopile infrared sensor array comprising a sensor chip having a number of thermopile sensor elements constructed on a semiconductor substrate of the sensor chip and corresponding electronic components, the sensor chip being mounted on a support substrate and enclosed with a cap, inlet optics being arranged in a center over the sensor chip, a thin membrane made of nonconducting material being arranged on the semiconductor substrate of the sensor chip, the thermopile sensor elements being situated in an array on the membrane, the substrate in back of the membrane being free etched beneath each thermopile sensor element, the electronic components being arranged in an edge area of the sensor chip, preamplifiers with low-pass filters being provided at least for every fourth, column or row of sensor elements.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.