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Uncooled tunneling infrared sensorAn uncooled infrared tunneling sensor in which the only moving part is a diaphragm which is deflected into contact with a micromachined silicon tip electrode prepared by a novel lithographic process. Similarly prepared deflection electrodes employ electrostatic force to control the deflection of a silicon nitride, flat diaphragm membrane. The diaphragm exhibits a high resonant frequency which reduces the sensor's sensitivity to vibration. A high bandwidth feedback circuit controls the tunneling current by adjusting the deflection voltage to maintain a constant deflection of the membrane. The resulting infrared sensor can be miniaturized to pixel dimensions smaller than 100 .mu.m. An alternative embodiment is implemented using a corrugated membrane to permit large deflection without complicated clamping and high deflection voltages. The alternative embodiment also employs a pinhole aperture in a membrane to accommodate environmental temperature variation and a sealed chamber to eliminate environmental contamination of the tunneling electrodes and undesireable accoustic coupling to the sensor.
Document ID
20080004763
Acquisition Source
Headquarters
Document Type
Other - Patent
Authors
Kenny, Thomas W.
Kaiser, William J.
Podosek, Judith A.
Vote, Erika C.
Muller, Richard E.
Maker, Paul D.
Date Acquired
August 24, 2013
Publication Date
July 25, 1995
Subject Category
Electronics And Electrical Engineering
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
Patent
US-PATENT-5,436,452
Patent Application
US-PATENT-APPL-SN-079507

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