Infrared transducer and goggles incorporating the same

Details Infrared transducer and goggles incorporating the same Infrared transducer and goggles incorporating the same

1993-12-13

1995-02-14

Fields, Carolyn E.

Radiant energy

Infrared-to-visible imaging

Including liquid crystal detector

250332, G02F 1136

Patent

active

053897889

ABSTRACT:
An infrared (IR) radiation transducer integrates an IR detector array with a liquid crystal (LC) readout. The IR detector is preferably a pixelized bolometer array, but other detectors such as pyroelectric materials are possible. To modulate the LC in response to detected IR radiation, a modulating section is provided that includes a charge injection structure which injects electrical charge in response to the detected IR radiation, and a charge transfer structure that transfers the injected charge to the LC readout section. During its active phase the charge transfer layer is depleted of majority charge carriers, and the charge injection and transfer mechanism operates in a manner analogous to a bipolar transistor. A visible readout is obtained by directing readout light through the LC, where it is modulated in accordance with the detected IR image. The transducers are small and light weight enough to be incorporated into a pair of goggles, for which no separate cooling is required.

REFERENCES:
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patent: 5081542 (1992-01-01), Efron et al.
patent: 5227886 (1993-07-01), Efron et al.
Schribner, "Infrared Focal Plane Array Technology", Proc. IEEE, vol. 79, 1991, pp. 66-85.
Efron et al., "The Silicon Liquid-Crystal Light Valve", Journal of Applied Physics, vol. 57, No. 4, 1985, pp. 1356-1368.
Efron, "Spatial Light Modulators and Applications for Optical Information Processing", Proc. of the SPIE, vol. 960, 1988, pp. 180-203.
Efron et al., "Liquid-crystal-based visible-to-infrared dynamic image converter", Optical Engineering, vol. 24, No. 1, 1985, pp. 111-118.
Welkowsky et al., "Status of the Hughes Charge-Coupled Device-Addressed Liquid Crystal Light Valve", Optical Engineering, vol. 26, No. 5, 1987, pp. 414-417.
Efron et al., "The Charged-Coupled-Device-Addressed Liquid Crystal Light Valve: An Update", Proc. of the SPIE, vol. 1455, 1991, pp. 237-247.

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