Microbolometer detector with high fill factor and transducers having enhanced thermal isolation

• US 6,958,478 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2003
• Issued: 10/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Institut national d'optique, Teledyne FLIR LLC (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Indigo Systems Corporation (Telecom Eireann)
• Inventors: Jerominek, Hubert, Terre, William A., Woolaway, James T., Alain, Christine
• Primary Examiner(s): Gabor, Otilia
• Application Number:
  US10/441,507
• Publication Number:
  US 20040232335A1
• Time in Patent Office: 890 Days
• Field of Search: 250/338.2, 250/338.4, 250/332, 250/349, 250/370.06, 250/370.08
• US Class Current: 250/338.2
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/20 using resistors, thermistors or semiconductors sensitive to radiation, e.g. photoconductive devices

Abstract

In a microbolometer detector the individual transducers in the focal plane array are support by leg members that are attached to the underlying readout integrated circuit (ROIC) chip at locations underneath transducers other than transducer which they support. A variety of configurations are possible. For example, the leg members may be attached to the ROIC chip at locations under adjacent transducers on opposite sides or on the same side of the supported transducer, or at locations underneath transducers that are not immediately adjacent to the supported transducer. In this way the effective length of the leg members and therefore the thermal isolation of the transducer they support can be increased.

Claims

1. A microbolometer detector comprising:

a readout integrated circuit chip;

a two-dimensional array of transducer units, each of said transducers containing a transducer having a resistance that varies with temperature; and

a support structure for supporting said transducer units in a spaced relationship over said chip, said support structure comprising

at least a first leg and a second leg for supporting a first transducer unit, each of said first and second legs containing an electrical path for connecting said transducer unit to said chip, said first leg extending from a first position on said chip underneath a second transducer unit to a first location on said first transducer unit, said second leg extending from a second position on said chip underneath a third transducer unit to a location on said first transducer unit.

2. The microbolometer detector of claim 1 wherein said second and third transducer units are located adjacent to said first transducer unit.

3. The microbolometer detector of claim 2 wherein said transducer units are arranged in a rectangular array.

4. The microbolometer detector of claim 3 wherein said second and third transducer units are located on opposite sides of said first transducer unit.

5. The microbolometer detector of claim 1 wherein at least a fourth transducer unit is located between said first and second transducer units.

6. The microbolometer detector of claim 5 wherein at least a fifth transducer unit is located between said first and third transducer units.

7. The microbolometer detector of claim 6 wherein said transducer units are arranged in a rectangular array.

8. The microbolometer detector of claim 1 wherein said second and third transducer units are the same.

9. The microbolometer detector of claim 8 wherein at least a fourth transducer unit is located between said first transducer unit and said second and third transducer units.

10. The microbolometer detector of claim 1 wherein the transducer units are for detecting infrared radiation.

11. A microbolometer detector for detecting infrared radiation comprising a focal plane array of transducer units, each of the transducer units being supported by leg members that are attached to an underlying readout integrated circuit chip at locations under at least one transducer unit other than the transducer unit that is supported by the leg members.