General Electric Company

Albert F Milton

Milton L Noble

John M Swab

Douglas W Dietz

Darrel W Endres

A high-resolution radiation detector cell array has a planar substrate, with multiple switching circuits, interposed between a detector substrate and a subsequent substrate containing high-sensitivity preamplifiers; each of the middle-substrate switching circuits operates to substantially continuously connect cyclic different ones of an assigned different set of the array cells to an associated single one of multiple preamplifiers. In a N.times.M array of cells used with a C column-by-R row switching subassembly, a total array of (N/C).times.(M/R) preamplifiers are needed. The generally-planar detector, switch and preamplifier substrates can be connected using metallic 'bump' contacts; the switch layer material may be selected to have a CTE between the CTEs of the detector and preamplifier layers.

Optical radiation sensing assembly with increased resolution

The invention relates to an imager for simultaneously obtaining two images of differing color bands of the same object field using a single two dimensional photodetector array. A Fresnel-biprism with two different color filters on the respective left and right aperture halves convergently displaces the two images. An objective lens focuses the filtered convergent images upon a photodector array, the left and right halves of which are covered by a second filter pair. The second pair of filters pass the same color bands as the first pair of filters but the order of the color bands bands is reversed from left to right. As a result of the filtering and convergence, the photodetector array, aligned with its columns parallel to the filter boundaries, responds with its left half to one color image and with its right half to the other color image. The arrangement provides two color band operation without resorting to a second photodetector array, or duplicate read out electronics, and when used in the IR spectrum avoids the need for additional cryogenic apparatus.

Imager for simultaneously obtaining two images of differing color bands

A dither scanned IR imaging system is disclosed for achieving panoramic coverage. For complete 360.degree. azimuth coverate, the field of view is divided into eight sectors, each imaged by a separate objective lens upon a loose packed 2D photodetector array. The photodetectors are tight packed in the array columns while the columns are loose packed, being on centers spaced by integral numbers of photodetector dimensions (i.e., pixels). The image is dithered the distance between columns over the array by a pair of counter rotating IR refractive discs of wedge shaped cross section. A full-frame partial-sample of the image is taken each time the image advances one pixel until the image has been fully sampled. Tight packed arrays may also be employed if additional means are provided to partially sample the image. In achieving 360.degree. panoramic coverage, the imaging system provides a major improvement in performance over systems using a single linear array and avoids large mirror movements or large gimbal movements. An approach for employing a conventional tightly packed two dimensional photodetector array in a dither scanned imaging system is also disclosed which uses fiber optics to transform the image plane to the required loosely packed partially sampled configuration. Used in this manner the area array covers a wide field of view with many more pixels of resolution than the number of photodetectors provided in the array.

Dither scanned IR imaging system having a wide field of view

A hybrid interconnection structure is disclosed having application to the fine pitch interconnection of delicate semiconductor chips. The invention entails the use of a beam lead interconnect in which patterned conductor runs are provided on the upper surface of a silicon chip. The conductor runs extend beyond the chip to form a paired set of beam leads. One set of beam leads makes contact with terminals on the upper surface of one chip and the other set of beam leads makes contact with terminals on the upper surface of another chip. The interconnect chip is set on a substrate common to the interconnected chips with its top surface slightly (normally less than 1-2 mils) above the top surfaces of the interconnected chips. This limits any downward deformation of the beam leads in the bonding process to insure reliability of the bond for fine pitch application. The invention has specific application to arrays of infrared detectors in which interconnections are provided between a delicate light sensing chip of mercury cadmium telluride or indium antimonide and more rugged readout integrated circuits, usually of silicon.

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Syracuse, NY, United States of America

Albert F Milton