Radiant energy – Invisible radiant energy responsive electric signalling – Infrared responsive
Patent
1993-06-21
1995-07-25
Anderson, Bruce C.
Radiant energy
Invisible radiant energy responsive electric signalling
Infrared responsive
250306, G01J 500, H01J 3700
Patent
active
054364523
ABSTRACT:
An uncooled infrared tunneling sensor in which the only moving part is a diaphragm which is deflected into contact with a micromachined silicon tip electrode prepared by a novel lithographic process. Similarly prepared deflection electrodes employ electrostatic force to control the deflection of a silicon nitride, flat diaphragm membrane. The diaphragm exhibits a high resonant frequency which reduces the sensor's sensitivity to vibration. A high bandwidth feedback circuit controls the tunneling current by adjusting the deflection voltage to maintain a constant deflection of the membrane. The resulting infrared sensor can be miniaturized to pixel dimensions smaller than 100 .mu.m. An alternative embodiment is implemented using a corrugated membrane to permit large deflection without complicated clamping and high deflection voltages. The alternative embodiment also employs a pinhole aperture in a membrane to accommodate environmental temperature variation and a sealed chamber to eliminate environmental contamination of the tunneling electrodes and undesireable accoustic coupling to the sensor.
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patent: 5298748 (1994-03-01), Kenny
Kaiser William J.
Kenny Thomas W.
Maker Paul D.
Muller Richard E.
Podosek Judith A.
Anderson Bruce C.
California Institute of Technology
Tachner Leonard
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