Infrared detector with improved heat dissipation
First Claim
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1. A low temperature assembly comprising:
- (a) a module base,(b) a first electrical circuit component mounted on the base in heat conductive relation thereto,(c) means for cooling said base to a first low temperature to thereby maintain said first circuit component at such first low temperature,(d) a second electrical circuit component having electrical connection to said first circuit component,(e) means for mounting said second circuit component upon said base in substantial thermal insulation therefrom, and(f) means for cooling said second circuit component to a second temperature above said first low temperature and below ambient temperature.
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Abstract
An infrared detector has its sensor chip assembly (10,12,14) cooled to a relatively low temperature required for its operation, whereas a preamplifier (56) required to be positioned close to the sensor chip assembly and which generates considerably more heat than does the sensor chip assembly, is thermally isolated from the sensor chip assembly and its support (16) and is cooled to a higher temperature to thereby significantly reduce the power dissipated to the coldest refrigerator stage (90).
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A low temperature assembly comprising:
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(a) a module base, (b) a first electrical circuit component mounted on the base in heat conductive relation thereto, (c) means for cooling said base to a first low temperature to thereby maintain said first circuit component at such first low temperature, (d) a second electrical circuit component having electrical connection to said first circuit component, (e) means for mounting said second circuit component upon said base in substantial thermal insulation therefrom, and (f) means for cooling said second circuit component to a second temperature above said first low temperature and below ambient temperature. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method of cooling an infrared sensor assembly of the type wherein a sensor chip and and preamplifier chip are mounted on a module base and electrically interconnected with one another, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) mounting the sensor chip on the module base in thermally conductive relation thereto, (b) mounting the preamplifier chip on the module base adjacent the sensor chip and in thermal isolation from the module base and sensor chip, (c) cooling said module base to a first low temperature required for operation of said sensor chip, and (d) cooling the preamplifier chip to a second low temperature above said first low temperature. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
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9. Apparatus for cooling first and second electronic components of a system operating in an environment having an ambient temperature, wherein the first of said components is to be cooled to a first predetermined temperature that is extremely low relative to said ambient temperature, and wherein the second component generates significantly more heat than said first component, said apparatus comprising:
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(a) cooling means having first and second refrigeration sources, said first source being maintained at said first predetermined temperature, and said second source being maintained at a second predetermined temperature above said first temperature and below said ambient temperature, (b) a base of high thermal conductivity thermally coupled to said first source, (c) means for mounting said first component on said base in good thermal contact therewith, (d) thermal isolating means for mounting said second component on said base near said first component in thermal isolation from said base, and (e) conduit means for thermally coupling said second component to said second refrigeration source. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. An electronic module for use with a cryogenic cooling system having first and second cooling stages wherein the second stage is cooled to a higher temperature than said first stage, said module comprising:
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(a) a thermally conductive base, (b) means for thermally coupling said base to said first cooling stage, (c) a first electronic component mounted on and thermally coupled to said base, (d) a thermally insulative member mounted on said base, (e) a second electronic component mounted on said thermally insulative member and spaced from said first electronic component, (f) means for electrically interconnecting said first and second components, (g) means for electrically connecting said first electronic component to auxiliary circuitry remote from said module, and (h) thermally conductive means thermally coupled to said second component for conducting heat therefrom to said second cooling stage. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. For use with an electronic component assembly having a base cryogenically cooled to a component operating temperature, a first component mounted on the base in thermal contact therewith and cooled by the base to the component operating temperature, and a second electronic component having electrical connection with said first component, an improved method for cooling said second component comprising the steps of:
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(a) mounting a thermal insulating body to said base adjacent said first component, (b) mounting said second component to said body adjacent said first component, and (c) cryogenically cooling said second component to a second temperature above said operating temperature. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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Specification