Commissariat a L'energie Atomique

Daniel Amingual

Pierre Felix

Luc Audaire

Michel Wolny

Michel Rieux

A system for the conversion of an infrared image into a visible or near infrared image includes optical input and output devices, an infrared detector on which is formed an infrared image of a scene, a circuit for reading the signal supplied by the detector, a circuit for processing the signals from the reading circuit, a visible or near infrared light emitter for supplying the image in the form of visible or near infrared light from signals of the processing circuit, a circuit for addressing the emitter, and a substrate. One face of the substrate forms a focal plane common to the optical input and output devices. The detector, the reading, processing, and addressing circuits, as well as the emitter, are integrated in this focal plane.

System for converting an infrared image into a visible or near infrared

Optoelectronic detectors (10) are arranged in matrix form. Integrated synchronous detectors (22) are connected to each column of the detectors (10). The detection is modulated and the detection signals demodulated by the synchronous detectors (22) making it possible to considerably improve the signal/noise (S/N) ratio of the apparatus.

Imaging device

Heterojunction HgCdTe detector has in order, a first type P Hg.sub.1-x.sbsb.1 Cd.sub.x.sbsb.i Te monocrystalline semiconductor layer, x.sub.1 being a number between 0 and 1, containing a first type P region, a second type P Hg.sub.1-x.sbsb.2 Cd.sub.x.sbsb.2 Te monocrystalline semiconductor layer, x.sub.2 being a number higher than x.sub.1 between 0 and 1, containing a second type N region which faces and is in contact with the first region, an electrical insulant located above the first semiconductor layer and an electric contact element located on the insulant for collecting the electric signal produced in said first region, said contact element having a part traversing the second region and partly penetrating the first region with application to infrared radiation detection.

Heterojunction HgCdTe photovoltaic detector and its production process

The invention relates to a matrix device for the detection of light radiation with individual cold screens integrated into a substrate and to its production process. This device comprises detectors arranged in matrix-like manner and defined in a detection material, a substrate which is transparent to the radiation to be detected and on which is epitaxied the detection material and provided in its upper part with blind holes distributed in matrix-like manner, each hole being positioned facing a detector, a layer of anti-reflecting transparent material covering the bottom of the holes and a layer of a material absorbing the radiation covering the upper face of the substrate and the walls of the holes. The invention more particularly applies to an infrared imaging system.

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Grenoble, France

Daniel Amingual