Uncooled focal plane array sensor
First Claim
Patent Images
1. Apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of sensors to detect radiation and to output image signals based on the detected radiation; and
processing circuitry to process the image signals and to output digital image data based on the image signals, wherein the plurality of sensors and the processing circuitry are monolithically formed on a semiconductor substrate within a single integrated circuit chip, and wherein the apparatus further includes;
at least one temperature sensing element to sense a temperature of the integrated circuit chip; and
a thermoelectric stabilizer to stabilize the temperature at a predetermined value, wherein the at least one temperature sensing element is monolithically integrated on the semiconductor substrate with the plurality of sensors and the processing circuitry, wherein the at least one temperature sensing element includes at least one sensor of the plurality of sensors, and wherein the predetermined value is an average temperature of at least some of the plurality of sensors.
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Abstract
A focal plane array sensor includes optics located along an optical path, for transmitting radiation. A focal plane array and integrated circuit, located along the optical path for receiving the transmitted radiation, responsively produces image signals from the transmitted radiation. The integrated circuit includes apparatus for converting the image signals into digital image data at digital image data outputs.
105 Citations
30 Claims
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1. Apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of sensors to detect radiation and to output image signals based on the detected radiation; and
processing circuitry to process the image signals and to output digital image data based on the image signals, wherein the plurality of sensors and the processing circuitry are monolithically formed on a semiconductor substrate within a single integrated circuit chip, and wherein the apparatus further includes;
at least one temperature sensing element to sense a temperature of the integrated circuit chip; and
a thermoelectric stabilizer to stabilize the temperature at a predetermined value, wherein the at least one temperature sensing element is monolithically integrated on the semiconductor substrate with the plurality of sensors and the processing circuitry, wherein the at least one temperature sensing element includes at least one sensor of the plurality of sensors, and wherein the predetermined value is an average temperature of at least some of the plurality of sensors.
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2. Apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of sensors to detect radiation and to output image signals based on the detected radiation; and
processing circuitry to process the image signals and to output digital image data based on the image signals, wherein the plurality of sensors and the processing circuitry are monolithically formed on a semiconductor substrate within a single integrated circuit chip, and wherein the apparatus further includes;
at least one temperature sensing element to sense a temperature of the integrated circuit chip; and
a thermoelectric stabilizer to stabilize the temperature at a predetermined value, wherein;
the at least one temperature sensing element includes a plurality of temperature sensing elements; and
the apparatus further includes means for determining an average temperature of at least some of the plurality of temperature sensing elements. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4)
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5. Apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of sensors to detect radiation and to output image signals based on the detected radiation; and
processing circuitry to process the image signals and to output digital image data based on the image signals, wherein the plurality of sensors and the processing circuitry are monolithically formed on a semiconductor substrate within a single integrated circuit chip, the apparatus further including a plurality of switch pairs coupled to the plurality of sensors, each switch pair responsive to a sensor control signal to select one sensor of the plurality of sensors, wherein;
the semiconductor substrate includes an upper level and a lower level;
the upper level includes the plurality of sensors;
the lower level includes the plurality of switch pairs; and
a number of electrical connections connecting the plurality of sensors to the plurality of switch pairs is equal to a number of sensors plus one. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
a first switch connected between a common supply bus and a first terminal of the one sensor; and
a second switch connected between an image signal output bus and a second terminal of the one sensor, wherein the image signal output bus is electrically coupled to the processing circuitry.
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8. Apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of thermal sensors to detect at least thermal radiation and to output image signals based on the detected radiation; and
processing circuitry to process the image signals and to output digital image data based on the image signals;
wherein the plurality of sensors and the processing circuitry are monolithically formed on a semiconductor substrate within a single integrated circuit chip;
wherein the plurality of sensors is constructed and arranged as a two-dimensional grid;
wherein the processing circuitry includes row circuitry and column circuitry to select each sensor to output an image signal; and
wherein the two-dimensional grid includes a plurality of basic unit cells, each basic unit cell comprising;
one sensor of the plurality of sensors; and
a test transistor, connected in parallel with the one sensor, to output a test signal that emulates the image signal output by the one sensor. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
the one sensor has a sensor resistance; and
the activated test transistor has an on-resistance that is substantially equal to the sensor resistance.
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11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the two-dimensional grid includes columns of basic unit cells, each column having a column output to provide the image signals and the test signals from the basic unit cells, each basic unit cell further including a switch responsive to the row circuitry to connect the one sensor and the test transistor between a common supply bus and the column output.
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12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the common supply bus is the ground.
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13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein for each column of basic unit cells, the processing circuitry includes:
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an amplifier to receive the image signals and the test signals from the column output and to output an amplified column signal;
an integrator to integrate the amplified column signal; and
an analog to digital converter to convert the integrated amplified column signal to the digital image data.
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14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the amplifier is a buffered direct injection amplifier comprising:
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a lateral bipolar input stage to receive the column output;
a current source load; and
a pass transistor, coupled to the lateral bipolar input stage and the current source load, to output the amplified column signal.
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15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the analog to digital converter includes:
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a converter circuit to convert the integrated amplified column signal to a digital signal, the converter circuit including a first register to store the digital signal during a conversion period; and
a metastability resolving circuit, coupled to the converter circuit so as to receive the digital signal, to store the digital signal at a predetermined time after the conversion period and output a metastability resolved digital signal based on the digital signal as the digital image data.
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16. Apparatus comprising:
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a radiation sensor to output image signals based on detected radiation, the radiation sensor including a plurality of radiation sensors; and
a temperature sensor to output both a temperature signal representative of an ambient temperature of the radiation sensor and image signals based on detected radiation, the temperature sensor including at least one radiation sensor of the plurality of radiation sensors, wherein the radiation sensor and the temperature sensor are monolithically formed on a single semiconductor substrate. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
the radiation sensor includes a plurality of radiation sensors; and
each radiation sensor of the plurality of radiation sensors is substantially thermally isolated from another radiation sensor of the plurality of radiation sensors.
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18. The apparatus of claim 16, further including means for stabilizing the temperature at a predetermined value.
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19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the means for stabilizing the temperature includes a feedback circuit.
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20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the feedback circuit includes a thermoelectric stabilizer.
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21. Apparatus comprising:
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a radiation sensor to output image signals based on detected radiation; and
a temperature sensor to output a temperature signal based on a temperature of the radiation sensor, wherein the radiation sensor and the temperature sensor are monolithically formed on a single semiconductor substrate, the apparatus further including means for stabilizing the temperature at a predetermined value, wherein;
the radiation sensor includes a plurality of radiation sensors; and
the predetermined value is based on an average temperature of at least some of the plurality of radiation sensors. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
the temperature sensor includes the plurality of radiation sensors outputting a corresponding plurality of temperature signals; and
the means for determining the average temperature includes processing circuitry to process the plurality of temperature signals and to output a control signal to the means for stabilizing the temperature.
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24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein at least some of the processing circuitry is monolithically integrated on the single semiconductor substrate.
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25. The apparatus of claim 24, further including a vacuum package to seal the semiconductor substrate and the means for stabilizing the temperature.
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26. Apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of sensor unit cells arranged as a two-dimensional grid to detect radiation, each unit cell including;
a sensor to output an image signal based on the detected radiation; and
a test transistor, connected in parallel with the one sensor, to output a test signal that emulates the image signal; and
processing circuitry to process the image signals from the plurality of sensor unit cells and to output processed image data based on the image signals, wherein the plurality of sensor unit cells and the processing circuitry are monolithically formed on a semiconductor substrate within a single integrated circuit chip. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
the sensor has a sensor resistance; and
the activated test transistor has an on-resistance that is substantially equal to the sensor resistance.
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29. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the two-dimensional grid includes columns of unit cells, each column having a column output to provide the image signals and the test signals from the unit cells, each unit cell further including a switch to connect the sensor and the test transistor between a common supply bus and the column output.
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30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the common supply bus is the ground.
Specification