Camera for producing video output signal, infrared focal plane array package for such camera, and method and apparatus for generating video signals from passive focal plane array of elements on a semiconductor substrate
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An infrared camera having:
- optical assembly (71) which brings light/infrared radiation to a focal plane array (33) of infrared sensitive microbolometers on a semiconductor substrate (30) that is maintained constantly at any selectable temperature, over a wide range, by a thermoelectric temperature stabilizer (20) wherein said thermoelectric temperature stabilizer is regulated by a controller (73) which maintains temperature based on a signal received from a temperature sensor (27) in close thermal association with said array.
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Abstract
A camera system primarily for infrared radiation having a focal plane array of microbolometer elements in a vacuum package with inexpensive thermoelectric temperature stabilization is shown. The stabilization temperature may be selected by a designer or a user over a wide range of temperatures, but room temperature use is primarily expected. The microbolometers are passive elements and the readout scheme involves a sweep of the array with a short duration pulse-high level bias current.
187 Citations
19 Claims
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1. An infrared camera having:
optical assembly (71) which brings light/infrared radiation to a focal plane array (33) of infrared sensitive microbolometers on a semiconductor substrate (30) that is maintained constantly at any selectable temperature, over a wide range, by a thermoelectric temperature stabilizer (20) wherein said thermoelectric temperature stabilizer is regulated by a controller (73) which maintains temperature based on a signal received from a temperature sensor (27) in close thermal association with said array. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An infrared camera comprising:
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a substrate having first and second surfaces with an aperture formed therethrough; said aperture being surrounded along with an area of said first surface by a contiguous wall structure, said area inside said wall being a bounded surface area; a thermoelectric temperature stabilizer mounted firmly to said bounded surface so as to not block said aperture, and having an opposite surface; an array of infrared sensitive microbolometers mounted to the opposite surface of said thermoelectric temperature stabilizer, where said array is driven by short pulses from a bias current source; a temperature sensor mounted to the opposite surface of said thermoelectric temperature stabilizer in thermal proximity to said array of infrared sensitive microbolometers, said temperature sensor is in electrical connection with a controller which regulates said temperature stabilizer based on a signal received from said temperature sensor; and a window for admitting some radiation to said array of infrared sensitive microbolometers mounted to seal-in said thermoelectric temperature stabilizer, temperature sensor, and said array of infrared sensitive microbolometers, in the interior space definable by said first surface, said window for admitting some radiation and said wall structure. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. Method for reading out changes in passive radiation receiving units in an n by m array of said units which forms a radiation receiving surface including:
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exposing the radiation receiving surface to an irradiated scene desired to be observed, thus developing a change in said receiving units related to the amount of radiation received from said scene, sweeping the receiving units with a pulse of short duration, in relation to the time required to sweep said array, of bias current that heats the sensors and is of too large an amperage to allow said units to remain stable if said pulse were of a substantially longer duration than short duration and wherein said sweep is at such a rate that each said unit has time to return to a stabilization temperature before the sweep generates a second short duration bias pulse to each said unit.
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Specification