Radiant energy – Infrared-to-visible imaging – Including detector array
Patent
1994-04-19
1996-01-23
Hannaher, Constantine
Radiant energy
Infrared-to-visible imaging
Including detector array
2503383, 250350, 250351, G01J 510
Patent
active
054866987
ABSTRACT:
A thermal imaging system (10) contains a focal plane array (14) including a plurality of thermal sensors (50) mounted on a substrate (52). The focal plane array (14) generates both a reference signal which represents the temperature of the substrate (52) and a biased signal corresponding to the total radiance emitted by a scene (11). Electronics (16) process the reference signal and the biased signal to obtain an unbiased signal representing radiance differences emitted by objects in the scene (11). A thermoelectric cooler/heater (38) may be provided to optimally adjust the temperature of the substrate (52) to improve overall image quality. Each thermal sensor (50) contains an electrode (66 and 68) that electrically couples the thermal sensor (50) to the substrate (52) and also allows the thermal sensor (50) to deflect, contact, and thermally shunt with the substrate (52).
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R. A. Wood, et al., "HIDAD--A Monolithic, Silicon, Uncooled Infrared Imaging Focal Plane Array," 16.5/Wood/HIDAD, pp. 579-581.
Dudley Dana
Hanson Charles M.
Robinson James E.
Carlson Brian A.
Donaldson Richard L.
Hannaher Constantine
Kesterson James C.
Texas Instruments Incorporated
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