Antenna-coupled-into-rectifier infrared sensor elements and infrared sensors
US7679057B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 30, 2007 |
| Grant date | Mar 16, 2010 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 30, 2027 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01J5/10
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An infrared sensor element having an antenna coupled directly into a rectifier. Infrared radiation impinging the antenna induces an alternating current. The rectifier converts the alternating current into a rectified signal. The rectified signal corresponds to a magnitude of the incident infrared radiation impinging the antenna, and can be used for detection and imaging operations. Coupling the antenna directly into the rectifier eliminates the need for a photodetector. The wavelength of sensor elements can be separately tuned. A sensor made up of a plurality of such sensor elements can operate in a time-division multiplexed mode sensing different infrared bandwidths in separate time segments. Two or more sensors each made up of a plurality of sensor elements can be co-located in a single focal plane and operated separately to detect infrared radiation in different bandwidths. A sensor element can also operate in bandwidths other than infrared.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.