Uncooled infrared detector

• US 6,100,525 A
• Filed: 10/04/1988
• Issued: 08/08/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Aspen Systems Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Eden, Dayton D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Buczinski, Stephen C.
• Application Number:
  US07/252,929
• Time in Patent Office: 4,326 Days
• Field of Search: 250/332, 250/338.3, 250/338.4, 250/338.1, 357/30 H, 357/30 D, 357/30 L, 343/721, 343/727, 343/793, 257/258, 257/275, 257/442, 257/448
• US Class Current: 250/338.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/04 Optical or mechanical part supplementary adjustable parts
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/08 Optical arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0837 Microantennas, e.g. bow-tie
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/10 using electric radiation detectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14669 Infrared imagers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0224 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/09 Devices sensitive to infrared, visible or ultraviolet radiation H01L31/101 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/062 using dipole aerials; H01Q21/067, H01Q21/068 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/16 with feed intermediate between the extremities of the antenna, e.g. centre-fed dipole H01Q9/44 takes precedence

Abstract

An infrared radiation detector device comprises a dipole antenna mounted on a substrate and connected through blocking contacts to a bandgap detector element. The dipole antenna has a length which is approximately one half the wavelength of the incident infrared radiation. The bandgap detector element has linear dimensions which are each substantially smaller than the wavelength of the detected radiation. A group of detector devices are combined to form an array which can produce a pixel signal for an image. Unlike conventional infrared radiation detectors, the disclosed detector device is capable of producing a usable output signal without the need for cooling below ambient temperature.

Claims

1. A detector, for detecting infrared radiation comprising:

an array of bandgap photodetector elements located in a plane and spaced apart by less than the wavelength of said radiation,

a plurality of periodic radiation collecting structures connected respectively to said photodetector elements, and

a radiation reflecting plane offset from the plane of said photodetector elements by less than the wavelength of said radiation, wherein the combination of said radiation collecting structures and said reflecting plane captures and conveys said infrared radiation to said detector elements for generating a detection signal therein.

2. An infrared detector as recited in claim 1 including conductive lines connected to said radiation collecting structures for transmitting said detection signal.

3. An infrared detector as recited in claim 1 wherein said photodetector elements comprise mercury cadmium telluride.

4. An infrared detector as recited in claim 1 wherein said photodetector elements comprise indium antimonide.

5. An infrared detector as recited in claim 1 wherein said photodetector elements comprise a semiconductor superlattice.

6. An infrared detector as recited in claim 1 wherein said radiation reflecting plane is a metal layer.

7. An infrared detector as recited in claim 1 wherein said radiation reflecting plane is a multilayer dielectric.

8. An infrared detector as recited in claim 1 wherein said radiation collecting structures comprise dipole antennae.