Abstract: A photodetector-array and fabrication method thereof are disclosed. The photodetector-array includes a first and second semiconductor structures having respective active regions defining respective pluralities of active photodetectors and active readout integrated circuit pixels (RICPs) electronically connectable to one another respectively. The first and second semiconductor structures are made with different semiconductor materials/compositions having different first and second coefficients of thermal expansion (CTEs) respectively. The pitch distances of the active photodetectors and the pitch distances of the respective active RICPs are configured in accordance with the difference between the first and second CTEs, such that at high temperatures, at which electrical coupling between the first and second semiconductor structures is performed, the electric contacts of the active photodetectors and of their respective RICPs overlap.

Abstract: Photodetectors and methods for dual band photo detection are disclosed. The photodetector includes a stack of semiconductor layers defining first and second unipolar photosensitive modules (UPMs) of respectively opposite doping polarities, and a contact layer including at least one of metal and semiconductor materials having doping polarity opposite to that of the second UPM. The first and second UPMs are adapted for sensing radiation of different respective first and second wavelengths ranges. The second UPM is located upon the first UPM thereby forming a first diode junction between the first and second UPMs. The contact layer is located on the second UPM thereby forming a second diode junction between the second UPM and the contact layer. The first and second diode junctions are configured to have respectively opposite conduction directions, enabling selective sensing of electrical signals associated with the first and second wavelengths ranges.

Abstract: A mechanical system, such as cryogenic refrigerator system, is described. The system comprises two or more axial moving elements generating two or more cyclic forces along parallel axes and a vibration attenuation unit. The cyclic forces are provided with common frequency and certain phase difference between them. The vibration attenuation unit is configured for attenuating vibrations corresponding to two or more modes of vibrations characterized by a frequency corresponding to operation frequency of said two or more cyclic forces.

Abstract: An Integrated Dewar Detector Assembly (IDDA) is presented. The IDDA comprises: a cold finger base; an elongated Dewar envelope having a proximal end associated with the cold finger base and a distal end comprising an optical window; an elongated tubular cold finger located inside said elongated Dewar envelope and having a proximal end at the cold finger base and a distal end for carrying a detector so as to expose the detector to incoming radiation through said optical window; an internal front support member extending from an inner surface of the Dewar envelope at its distal end to the distal end of the cold finger; and at least one wideband dynamic vibration absorber assembly located outside the Dewar envelope and attached to at least one location on an exterior surface of the Dewar envelope, said dynamic vibration absorber thereby attenuating vibration of the cold finger and the detector.

Abstract: A semiconductor device is disclosed, which includes: at least one device layer being a crystallized layer for example including: a superlattice layer and/or a layer of group III-V semiconductor materials; and a passivation structure comprising one or more layers wherein at least one layer of the passivation structure is a passivation layer grown in-situ in a crystallized form on top of the device layer, and at least one of the one or more layers of the passivation structure includes material having a high density of surface states which forces surface pinning of an equilibrium Fermi level within a certain band gap of the device layer, away from its conduction and valence bands.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a photo-detector comprising: an n-type photon absorbing layer of a first energy bandgap; a middle barrier layer, an intermediate layer is a semiconductor structure; and a contact layer of a third energy bandgap, wherein the layer materials are selected such that the first energy bandgap of the photon absorbing layer is narrower than that of said middle barrier layer; wherein the material composition and thickness of said intermediate layer are selected such that the valence band of the intermediate layer lies above the valence band in the barrier layer to create an efficient trapping and transfer of minority carriers from the barrier layer to the contact layer such that a tunnel current through the barrier layer from the contact layer to the photon absorbing layer is less than a dark current in the photo-detector and the dark current from the photon-absorbing layer to said middle barrier layer is essentially diffusion limited and is due to the unimpeded flow of minority carrier

Abstract: A semiconductor device is disclosed, which includes: at least one a device layer being a crystallized layer for example including: a superlattice layer and/or a layer of group III-V semiconductor materials; and a passivation structure comprising one or more layers wherein at least one layer of the passivation structure is a passivation layer grown in-situ in a crystallized form on top of the device layer, and at least one of the one or more layers of the passivation structure includes material having a high density of surface states which forces surface pinning of an equilibrium Fermi level within a certain band gap of the device layer, away from its conduction and valence bands.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a photo-detector comprising: an n-type photon absorbing layer of a first energy bandgap; a middle barrier layer, an intermediate layer is a semiconductor structure; and a contact layer of a third energy bandgap, wherein the layer materials are selected such that the first energy bandgap of the photon absorbing layer is narrower than that of said middle barrier layer; wherein the material composition and thickness of said intermediate layer are selected such that the valence band of the intermediate layer lies above the valence band in the barrier layer to create an efficient trapping and transfer of minority carriers from the barrier layer to the contact layer such that a tunnel current through the barrier layer from the contact layer to the photon absorbing layer is less than a dark current in the photo-detector and the dark current from the photon-absorbing layer to said middle barrier layer is essentially diffusion limited and is due to the unimpeded flow of minority carrier

Abstract: A dewar assembly is presented for use in an optical IR detection system defining a light collecting region. The dewar assembly comprises a warm shield unit configured as an enclosure for optically enclosing the light collection region and having an optical window through which incident light enters the dewar. The warm shield defines a reflective inner surface configured such that light portions of the incident light propagating through said optical window onto said inner surface are reflected by the inner surface towards regions outside said light collecting region.

Abstract: A system and a method for determining the authenticity of a pharmaceutical product. The product is actively cooled to a temperature below ambient temperature. One or more thermographic IR images of the product are acquired in a wavelength or wavelength spectrum selected from the mid wave IR (MWIR) to very long wave IR (VLWIR) spectrum. At least one of the images is acquired while the temperature of the product is below ambient temperature. The acquired one or more images of the product or a quantified value deduced therefrom are compared with a signature of a reference drug. The comparison is displayed, thereby enabling determination of the authenticity of the product.

Abstract: A dewar assembly is presented for use in an optical IR detection system defining a light collecting region. The dewar assembly comprises a warm shield unit configured as an enclosure for optically enclosing the light collection region and having an optical window through which incident light enters the dewar. The warm shield defines a reflective inner surface configured such that light portions of the incident light propagating through said optical window onto said inner surface are reflected by the inner surface towards regions outside said light collecting region.

Abstract: A pixel readout circuit for use with an imaging pixel array, comprising: an input channel for receiving an image signal corresponding to electrical output of a photosensitive element of the pixel; and an electronic circuit interconnected between said input channel and an output readout utility. The electronic circuit comprises a capacitive unit, and a single analyzer. The capacitive unit is controllably linked to input channel for accumulating charge corresponding to received intensity generated by said pixel during a single frame period, and is connected to output readout utility. The signal analyzer unit is controllably linked to input channel and connected to output readout utility, and is configured for analyzing at least a part of said image signal by determining change in amount of accumulated charge corresponding to the received intensity, and upon detecting that the amount of charge satisfies a predetermined condition generating data indicative of a detected event.

Abstract: The invention relates to a thermal system for determining the authenticity of a pharmaceutical product, said system comprises: (a) a signal generator and heat/cooling source for applying a temperature variation signal to a pharmaceutical product; (b) a thermal apparatus for: (b.1.) following or during an application of said temperature variation signal to an authentic pharmaceutical product, acquiring at predefined controlled conditions an authenticity signature of said authentic product, said authenticity signature comprises at least one temperature measurement of said authentic product, each of said temperature measurements describes the reaction over time of the authentic product to said temperature variation signal; (b.2.) storing said acquired authenticity signature in a memory; and (b.

Abstract: An infrared (IR) imaging system is presented. The system includes a cooling chamber associated with a cooler generating a certain temperature condition inside the chamber. The cooling chamber has an optical window, and includes thereinside an IR detection unit including one or more detectors thermally coupled to the cooler and at least two cold shields thermally coupled to the cooler and carrying at least two imaging optical assemblies. The at least two imaging optical assemblies are enclosed by the cold shields in between the detection unit and the optical window and thereby define at least two different optical channels for imaging light from the optical window onto the one or more detectors of the detection unit.

Abstract: A photo-detector with a reduced G-R noise comprises two n-type narrow bandgap layers surrounding a middle barrier layer having an energy bandgap at least equal to the sum of the bandgaps of the two narrow bandgap layers. Under the flat band conditions the conduction band edge of each narrow bandgap layer lies below the conduction band edge of the barrier layer by at least the bandgap energy of the other narrow bandgap layer. When biased with an externally applied voltage, the more negatively biased narrow bandgap layer is the contact layer and the more positively biased narrow bandgap layer is the photon absorbing layer.

Abstract: The invention relates to a photo-detector with a reduced G-R noise, which comprises a sequence of a p-type contact layer, a middle barrier layer and an n-type photon absorbing layer, wherein the middle barrier layer has an energy bandgap significantly greater than that of the photon absorbing layer, and there is no layer with a narrower energy bandgap than that in the photon-absorbing layer.

Abstract: An infrared (IR) imaging system is presented. The system comprises a cooling chamber associated with a cooler generating a certain temperature condition inside the chamber. The cooling chamber has an optical window, and comprises thereinside an IR detector and a cold shield both thermally coupled to said cooler, and an imaging optical assembly comprising one or more imaging lenses defining a certain fixed focus of the imaging assembly and being enclosed by the cold shield in between the detector and the optical window. The imaging optical assembly and the detector are therefore under the same cooling temperature thereby reducing thermal noise in the detected image.

Abstract: The invention relates to a photo-detector with a reduced G-R noise, which comprises a sequence of a p-type contact layer, a middle barrier layer and an n-type photon absorbing layer, wherein the middle barrier layer has an energy bandgap significantly greater than that of the photon absorbing layer, and there is no layer with a narrower energy bandgap than that in the photon-absorbing layer.

Abstract: A photo-detector with a reduced G-R noise comprises two n-type narrow bandgap layers surrounding a middle barrier layer having an energy bandgap at least equal to the sum of the bandgaps of the two narrow bandgap layers. Under the flat band conditions the conduction band edge of each narrow bandgap layer lies below the conduction band edge of the barrier layer by at least the bandgap energy of the other narrow bandgap layer. When biased with an externally applied voltage, the more negatively biased narrow bandgap layer is the contact layer and the more positively biased narrow bandgap layer is the photon absorbing layer.