Abstract: There are provided a nickel oxide film for a bolometer and a manufacturing method thereof, and an infrared detector using the nickel oxide film. The nickel oxide film has properties with a TCR value greater than ?3%/° C., a low noise value, and stable and high reproducibility properties. The nickel oxide film is applicable to manufacturing an infrared detector using a nickel oxide film for a bolometer.

Abstract: A device for detecting infrared radiation including a resistive imaging bolometer intended to be electrically connected to a circuit for measuring a resistance of the imagine bolometer, whereby the device initially controls and adjusts the resistance of the imaging bolometer by injecting current into the imaging bolometer.

Abstract: An optical element is disclosed which includes transparent superconductor material.

Abstract: A bolometer type ultra-sensitive silicon sensor pixel of a multi-pixel sensor wherein each pixel includes a detector stage, an intermediate stage, and a heat bath stage. The detector stage, the intermediate stage and a portion of the heat bath stage are generally co-planar and are interconnected by I-beam bridges so as to permit mutually co-planar rotation in response to stress and strain. Electrical coupling is improved between a micro-antenna and the detector stage by a two stage transformer assembly that couples the micro-antenna to the detector stage.

Abstract: An antenna-coupled microbolometer structure comprises a substrate (301), an antenna (102, 103) supported by the substrate, and a thermally sensitive element (101, 305) connected to the antenna and arranged to dissipate electric currents induced into the antenna. Both the antenna (102, 103) and the thermally sensitive element (101, 305) comprise material that is susceptible to achieving a superconductive state below a certain critical temperature. The thermally sensitive element (101, 305) is supported at a distance from the substrate (301) leaving an empty gap (306) between the thermally sensitive element (101, 305) and a surface of the substrate (301).

Abstract: A bolometer thin film having a high temperature coefficient of resistance (|TCR|) is produced in a simple and easy production process to provide a highly sensitive infrared sensing element. The invention provides a bolometer using a thin film of an oxide represented by ZyCuOx, wherein Z is one or more alkaline earth metals, one or more rare earth element selected from yttrium and lanthanide elements, one or more elements belonging to Period 5 or Period 6 of the Periodic Table selected from bismuth, lead, thallium, mercury, and cadmium, or potassium or sodium, y is a number satisfying 0≦y≦2, and x is a number satisfying 0.5y<x≦1.5+2y. The bolometer has a temperature coefficient of resistance (|TCR|) higher than that of conventional bolometers.

Abstract: Oxide thin films having a perovskite-like structure and undergoing a ferromagnetic phase transition with large temperature coefficients of resistance (TCRs) are disclosed. These can be useful materials for making thermistors, bolometers, infrared detectors and the like. These can be fabricated with a number of methods, preferably including metal oxide chemical vapor deposition, laser ablation and sputtering. In one embodiment, the oxides are based on a LaMnO3 with substitutions of Ca, Sr, Ba, Mn, and Pb for some of the La. The amounts can be varied to maximize the TCR or shift the temperature at which the maximum occurs. Methods of making such thin films are disclosed. In one embodiment, the high sensitivity films can be used in an array of micro-bolometers in an infrared camera.

Abstract: A superconducting quantum interference device is provided which can accurately measure only a magnetic field detected by a detection coil where the superconducting quantum interference device is used for a fluxmeter. A superconductor for enclosing a loop to be formed by a washer coil is formed at an upper portion or lower portion of the washer coil. Otherwise, a ground plane layer is formed with an interlayer insulation film sandwiched, in a position, except for a detection coil, particularly, of an upper layer or lower layer, of a washer coil being magnetically coupled to a feedback-modulation coil to which a signal is sent from an external control system. As a result, it is possible to prevent an external magnetic field from being coupled to other regions than the detection coil and hence accurately measure a magnetic field linked to the detection coil. In particular, the invention is effective for a reduced detection area of a detection coil thus suited for measurement on high spatial resolution.

Abstract: A thermoelectric radiation detector having a substrate (1) and a film (2) of solid state material having thermal anisotropy and containing YBa.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.7, formed on the surface of the substrate, and wherein said film has CuO.sub.2 planes (3) inclined with respect to the substrate plane, the improvement wherein at least a portion of the Y is replaced by another rare earth metal and/or at least a portion of the Ba and/or of the Cu is replaced by at least one other heavy metal at least in partial areas of the film and in a sufficient amount to increase the thermal anisotropy of the detector.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for producing electricity from heat. The present invention is a thermoelectric generator that uses materials with substantially no electrical resistance, often called superconductors, to efficiently convert heat into electrical energy without resistive losses. Preferably, an array of superconducting elements is encased within a second material with a high thermal conductivity. The second material is preferably a semiconductor. Alternatively, the superconducting material can be doped on a base semiconducting material, or the superconducting material and the semiconducting material can exist as alternating, interleaved layers of waferlike materials. A temperature gradient imposed across the boundary of the two materials establishes an electrical potential related to the magnitude of the temperature gradient. The superconducting material carries the resulting electrical current at zero resistivity, thereby eliminating resistive losses.