Electromagnetic radiation detectors having a microelectromechanical shutter device
First Claim
1. An electromagnetic radiation detector device having microelectromechanical system (MEMS) shutter, comprising:
- a detector; and
a flexible film actuator overlying said detector and moveable relative thereto to alternately allow passage of electromagnetic radiation to said detector and block passage of radiation to said detector.
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Abstract
The present invention provides for an improved electromagnetic radiation detector having a micromachined electrostatic chopper/shutter device. The MEMS flexible film chopper/shutter 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/shutter device includes a detector material element and 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 shuttering devices are additionally provided for.
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Citations
46 Claims
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1. An electromagnetic radiation detector device having microelectromechanical system (MEMS) shutter, comprising:
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a detector; and a flexible film actuator overlying said detector and moveable relative thereto to alternately allow passage of electromagnetic radiation to said detector and block passage of radiation to said detector. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 34, 38, 39, 40)
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11. An electromagnetic radiation detector device having MEMS shutter, the device comprising:
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a first transparent substrate; a flexible film actuator disposed on the first transparent substrate; a second substrate; a detector disposed on the second substrate; and one or more solder bumps that serve to connect the first transparent substrate to the second substrate. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 35, 41, 42, 43)
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20. An electromagnetic radiation detector array having microelectromechanical system (MEMS) shutter array, comprising:
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a substrate; and a plurality of detector pixels supported by said substrate, said detector pixels comprising, a detector, and a flexible film actuator overlying said detector and moveable relative thereto to alternately allow passage of electromagnetic radiation to said detector and block passage of radiation to said detector. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 36, 44, 45, 46)
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28. A method for pixel modulation in an electromagnetic radiation detector array, the method comprising:
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providing for a plurality of flexible film actuators, each actuator corresponding to one or more detector pixels in an electromagnetic radiation detector array; shuttering one or more flexible film actuators to allow passage of electromagnetic radiation to the one or more detector pixels corresponding to the flexible film actuator; detecting the electromagnetic radiation in the one or more detector pixels as a result of the shuttering of the corresponding flexible film actuator; generating charge carriers in the one or more detector pixels in response to the electromagnetic radiation; and generating a read-out signal as a result of the charge carriers in the one or more detector pixels. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 37)
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Specification