L-3 Communications Corporation

Texas Instruments Corporation

Raytheon Company

William L McCardel

Roland W Gooch

Thomas R Schimert

Athanasios John Syllaios

Mark V Wadsworth

John F Brady

Malcolm John Bevan

Glenn H Westphal

Julie G Whitney

Bobbi A Ritchey

Systems and methods for color correcting radiation by alternately focusing a first radiation spectrum on a first radiation spectrum detector, and then focusing at least one additional radiation spectrum on at least one additional radiation spectrum detector.

Color correction for radiation detectors

Infrared detector elements and methods for forming infrared detector elements in which the top metal layer of CMOS circuitry of the detector element is employed as a lead metal reflector for the infrared detector.

Infrared detector elements and methods of forming same

Systems and methods for bonding semiconductor devices and/or multiple wafers, in the form of a first segmented wafer and a second unsegmented wafer which may have different temperature coefficients of expansion (TCE), and which may be bonded together, with or without the presence of a vacuum.

Systems and methods for bonding

Systems and methods for providing multi-spectral image capability using an integrated multi-band focal plane array that, in one example, may be employed to simultaneously image in the visible spectrum and infrared spectrum using an integrated dual-band focal plane array, e.g., by including visible imaging circuitry within read out integrated circuitry (ROIC) used to readout infrared detector elements within the same pixel element/s.

Systems and methods for integrating focal plane arrays

Methods for making optically blind reference pixels and systems employing the same. The reference pixels may be configured to be identical to, or substantially identical to, the active detector elements of a focal plane array assembly. The reference pixels may be configured to use the same relatively longer thermal isolation legs as the active detector pixels of the focal plane, thus eliminating joule heating differences. An optically blocking structure may be placed in close proximity directly over the reference pixels.

Optically blocked reference pixels for focal plane arrays

A microbolometer is provided that includes an absorber element having material properties to change temperature in response to absorbing infrared radiation. An amorphous silicon detector is thermally coupled to the absorber element and is suspended above a silicon substrate at a height of one-quarter wavelength of the infrared radiation to be detected. The amorphous silicon detector changes electrical resistance in response to the absorber element changing temperature. The microbolometer also includes electrode arms coupled to the silicon substrate to provide structural support for the amorphous silicon detector above the surface of the silicon substrate. The electrode arms further provide electrical connectivity for the microbolometer.

Microbolometer and method for forming

An infrared radiation emitter is provided that is capable of producing infrared radiation modulating at high frequency. The IR emitter includes a low-thermal-mass resistive membrane that is suspended by long thermal isolation arms over a substrate. The membrane is suspended over the substrate such that a resonant emitting cavity is formed between the membrane and the substrate. The low-mass, thermally isolated membrane design maximizes the temperature change induced by Joule heating of the resistive membrane and allows the emitted IR radiation to be modulated at high frequencies.

High frequency infrared emitter

A sensor (1400) with radiation detectors (1421-1422) with two or more bolometer or photoconductor elements and bias polarity switching of one element to emulate mechanical chopping of input radiation. This electronic chopping permits higher chopping frequencies than mechanical chopping for bolometers because the scene settling time does not limit electronic chopping. The detectors may be within a single vacuum integrated circuit package with separate narrow passband filters for chemical spectral analysis.

Bolometer autocalibration

A sensor with radiation detectors with two or more photoconductor elements and bias polarity switching of one element to emulate mechanical chopping of input radiation. This electronic chopping permits higher chopping frequencies than mechanical chopping for bolometers because the scene settling time does not limit electronic chopping. The detectors may be within a single vacuum integrated circuit package with separate narrow passband filters for chemical spectral analysis.

Electronic chopping

A nondispersive infrared gas analyzer 10 for indicating the concentration of a selected gas uses a source of radiation 12 to supply radiation to a gas sample chamber 14. The gas chamber 14 functions as an optical channel for transmitting radiation from the source of radiation 12 to both a gas sensing detector 22 and reference detector 24. An inner surface 36 of the gas chamber 14 is an optical reflective surface for the chamber and has a constantly changing irregular profile to greatly enhance optical scattering of the radiation falling on it to provide an uniform disperse radiation output to the detectors 22, 24. Additionally, the source of radiation 12 is chosen to provide radiation which is defocused to further help in attaining homogenous radiation output from the gas sample chamber 14 to the detectors 22, 24.

Growing community of inventors

Plano, TX, United States of America

William L McCardel