Infrared detectors
US4791298A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 13, 1987 |
| Grant date | Dec 13, 1988 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 13, 2007 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01J5/0815
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An infrared detector has an infrared detector element (2) mounted at a first part (11) of a housing (1), a Joule-Thomson cooling element (3) accommodated in a second part (12), and an infrared transmissive window (15) at the front of the housing (1). A compact, space-saving and light weight structure with improved optical efficiency is obtained. The core of the Joule-Thomson cooling element (3) forms a third part (13) of the housing (1), and these second and third parts (12 and 13) of the housing extend towards the front of the detector. The cooler core (13) which may carry a cooled filter (25) has a hollow shape or is otherwise infrared transmissive in front of the detector element (2) and can direct incident radiation (50) towards the detector element (2). For this purpose the inner surface of the hollow core (13) may carry a reflective conductor pattern (18,19) which also provides electrical connections for the detector element (2). This core part (13) may seal a channel in a grooved intermediate member (48 in FIG. 3) between the second and third housing parts (12 and 13) so as to form the Joule-Thomson cooling element (3) without requiring conventional finned metal tubing (31 i…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.