Electromagnetic radiation detectors having a micromachined electrostatic chopper device
First Claim
1. An electromagnetic radiation detector having an electrostatically driven microelectromechanical system (MEMS) chopper device, comprising:
- a detector material element;
first and second electrodes in electrical contact with said detector material element; and
a flexible film actuator overlying said detector material element and moveable relative thereto to alternately allow passage of electromagnetic radiation to said detector material element and block passage of radiation to said detector material element.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides for an improved electromagnetic radiation detector having a micromachined electrostatic chopping device. The MEMS flexible film chopping device provides reliability, efficiency, noise reduction and temperature fluctuation compensation capabilities to the associated electromagnetic radiation detector. An electromagnetic radiation detector having an electrostatic chopper device comprises a detector material element, first and second electrodes in electrical contact with the detector material element and electrically isolated from one another. Additionally, the chopper device will incorporate a flexible film actuator overlying the detector material layer and moveable relative thereto. The flexible film actuator will typically include an electrode element and a biasing element such that the actuator remains in a fully curled, open state absent electrostatic voltage and moves to a fully uncurled, closed state upon the application of electrostatic voltage. Arrays that incorporate a plurality of electromagnetic radiation detectors and/or electrostatic chopping devices are additionally provided for.
76 Citations
46 Claims
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1. An electromagnetic radiation detector having an electrostatically driven microelectromechanical system (MEMS) chopper device, comprising:
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a detector material element;
first and second electrodes in electrical contact with said detector material element; and
a flexible film actuator overlying said detector material element and moveable relative thereto to alternately allow passage of electromagnetic radiation to said detector material element and block passage of radiation to said detector material element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An electromagnetic radiation detector having an electrostatically driven MEMS chopper device, comprising:
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a substrate;
a thermal isolation bridge disposed on said substrate;
a first electrode layer disposed on said thermal isolation bridge;
a detector material layer overlying on said thermal isolation bridge and in electrical contact with said first electrode layer;
a second electrode layer overlying said thermal isolation bridge, electrically isolated from said first electrode layer and in electrical contact with said detector material layer; and
a flexible film actuator overlying the detector material layer and having a third electrode layer and at least one biasing layer, the actuator having a fixed portion attached to an underlying surface and a distal portion movable with respect to the second electrode layer. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An electromagnetic radiation detector having an electrostatically driven MEMS chopper device, comprising:
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a substrate;
a thermal isolation bridge disposed on said substrate;
a first electrode layer disposed on said thermal isolation bridge;
a detector material layer overlying on said thermal isolation bridge and in electrical contact with said first electrode layer;
a second electrode layer overlying said thermal isolation bridge, electrically isolated from said first electrode layer and in electrical contact with said detector material layer;
a support structure disposed on the substrate;
a transparent substrate attached to the support structure;
a transparent third electrode layer disposed on the transparent substrate; and
a flexible film actuator overlying the transparent third electrode and the detector material layer, the flexible film actuator having a fourth electrode layer and at least one biasing layer, a fixed portion attached to the transparent substrate and a distal portion movable with respect to the third electrode layer. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. An electromagnetic radiation detector array having an electrostatically driven microelectromechanical system (MEMS) chopper array, comprising:
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a substrate;
a plurality of detector pixels supported by said substrate, said detector pixels comprising;
a detector material layer; and
first and second electrodes in electrical contact with said detector material layer; and
a plurality of flexible film actuators, each actuator overlying said detector material layer of a corresponding detector pixel and moveable relative thereto to alternately allow passage of radiation to said detector material layer and block passage of radiation to said detector material layer. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A method for pixel modulation in an electromagnetic radiation detector array, the method comprising:
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providing for a plurality of electrostatically activated flexible film actuators, each actuator corresponding to one or more detector pixels in an electromagnetic radiation detector array;
pulsing one or more flexible film actuators to block passage of electromagnetic radiation and to allow passage of electromagnetic radiation to the one or more detector pixels corresponding to the flexible film actuator;
causing a temperature change in the one or more detector pixels as a result of the pulsing of the corresponding flexible film actuator;
changing an electrical property of the one or more detector pixels as a result of the temperature change in one or more detector pixels; and
generating a read-out current as a result of the change in the electrical property of the one or more detector pixels. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46)
activating, electrostatically, one or more flexible film actuators to block passage of electromagnetic radiation to the corresponding one or more detector pixels; and
deactivating, by releasing the electrostatic force, one or more flexible film actuators to allow passage of electromagnetic radiation to the corresponding one or more detector pixels.
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46. The method of claim 44, wherein changing an electrical property of the one or more detector pixels further comprises changing a property of the one or more detector pixels chosen from the group consisting of polarization, capacitance or resistance.
Specification