Coupling and method for a transition-edge bolometer

• US 7,675,035 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2006
• Issued: 03/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Asqella Oy
• Original Assignee: Valtion Teknillinen Tutkimuskeskus
• Inventors: Seppa, Heikki, Helisto, Panu
• Primary Examiner(s): Porta; David P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gaworecki; Mark R
• Application Number:
  US11/920,236
• Publication Number:
  US 20090014655A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,399 Days
• Field of Search: 250/336.2, 250/338.1
• US Class Current: 250/338.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/20 using resistors, thermistors or semiconductors sensitive to radiation, e.g. photoconductive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/24 Use of specially adapted circuits, e.g. bridge circuits

Abstract

The invention relates to a circuit for transition-edge bolometers, which comprises a resistor element (1) arranged to operate in the transition-edge zone, and an amplifier (5) connected to the resistor element (1). According to the invention, in connection with the amplifier (5) means are arranged for implementing positive (4, 5) and negative (5, 2) feedbacks in the resistance measurement.

Claims

1. Circuit for transition-edge bolometers, which comprises

a resistor element included in a transition-edge bolometer, wherein the resistor element is arranged to operate in the transition-edge zone, and

an amplifier connected to the resistor element,

wherein positive and negative feedbacks, using the amplifier, are implemented in the measurement of an impedance associated with the resistor element.

2. Circuit according to claim 1, wherein the positive feedback is created with the aid of a current bias and the negative feedback with the aid of a voltage feedback.

3. Circuit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a capacitor is connected in parallel with the resistor element, in order to stabilize the circuit at high frequencies.

4. Circuit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a k×

n matrix is formed from resistor elements and each resistor element is raised to the transition zone row by row, in which case an individual resistor element of each row can be raised to the transition zone and thus the matrix'"'"'s k×

n resistor elements can be read with a minimum number of amplifiers.

5. Circuit according to claim 4, further including either k or n number of amplifiers.

6. Circuit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the bolometer is divided into two parts.

7. Method for transition-edge bolometers, said method comprising:

arranging a resistor element, included in a transition-edge bolometer, to operate in the transition-edge zone, and

measuring the resistance value of the resistor element using an amplifier connected to it,

wherein

both positive and negative feedbacks are implemented using the amplifier, during the measurement of an impedance associated with the resistor element.

8. Method according to claim 7, wherein the positive feedback is created with the aid of a current bias and the negative feedback with the aid of a voltage feedback.

9. Method according to claim 7 or 8, further comprising connecting a capacitor in parallel with the resistor element, in order to stabilize the circuit at high frequencies.

10. Method according to claim 7 or 8, further comprising forming a k×

n matrix from resistor elements, wherein each resistor element is raised to the transition zone row by row, in which case an individual resistor element of each row can be raised to the transition zone and thus the matrix'"'"'s k×

n resistor elements can be read with a minimum number of amplifiers.

11. Method according to claim 10, further including either k or n number of amplifiers.

12. Method according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the bolometer is divided into two parts.