Abstract: An infrared radiation detector includes an array of elementary imaging bolometric detectors, each of the elementary bolometric detectors being formed of a bolometric membrane including a film made of vanadium oxide VOx, having a resistivity in the range from 6 ohm·cm to 50 ohm·cm, said membrane being suspended above a substrate integrating a signal for reading out the signal generated by said elementary detectors and for sequentially addressing the elementary detectors.

Abstract: An image sensor includes on a support a plurality of first pixels and a plurality of second pixels intended to detect an infrared radiation emitted by an element of a scene. Each of the pixels includes a bolometric membrane suspended above a reflector covering the support, wherein the reflector of each of the first pixels is covered with a first dielectric layer, and the reflector of each of the second pixels is covered with a second dielectric layer differing from the first dielectric layer by its optical properties.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for detecting bad pixels from a pixel array of a device, for capturing an image, that is sensitive to infrared radiation. The method includes: receiving an input image captured by the pixel system, and calculating a score for a plurality of target pixels including at least some of the pixels from the input image. The score for each target pixel is generated on the basis of k pixels of the input image that are selected in a window of H by H pixels around the target pixel. H is an odd integer greater than or equal to 3, and k is an integer between 2 and 5. Each pixel, from the set formed of the k pixels and the target pixel, share at least one border or corner with another pixel from said set, and the values of the k pixels are at respective distances from the value of the target pixel, the k pixels being selected on the basis of the k distances. The method also includes detecting that at least one of the target pixels is a bad pixel on the basis of the calculated scores.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for detecting bad pixels from a pixel array of a device, for capturing an image, that is sensitive to infrared radiation. The method includes: receiving an input image captured by the pixel system, and calculating a score for a plurality of target pixels including at least some of the pixels from the input image. The score for each target pixel is generated on the basis of k pixels of the input image that are selected in a window of H by H pixels around the target pixel. H is an odd integer greater than or equal to 3, and k is an integer between 2 and 5. Each pixel, from the set formed of the k pixels and the target pixel, share at least one border or corner with another pixel from said set, and the values of the k pixels are at respective distances from the value of the target pixel, the k pixels being selected on the basis of the k distances. The method also includes detecting that at least one of the target pixels is a bad pixel on the basis of the calculated scores.

Abstract: A device for integrating an electric current during a period Tint, including an operational amplifier and a capacitor connected between a first input and an output of the amplifier, a second input of the amplifier being taken to a voltage VBUS, output voltage Vout of the amplifier being saturated at a high voltage VsatH and a low voltage VsatH according to the charge quantity in the capacitor. The device also includes: a circuit for switching the terminals of the capacitor; and a circuit for triggering the circuit at least once during period Tint when voltage Vout both grows and is substantially equal to a reference voltage VREF, the voltage VREF being smaller than or equal to voltage VsatH, and reference voltage VREF and voltage VBUS being selected to comply with relation 2·VBUS?VREF?VsatL; and a storage circuit for storing the number of triggerings having occurred between the initial time and the end time of the integration period.

Abstract: A device for detecting electromagnetic radiation, including a readout circuit, which is located in a substrate, and an electrical connection pad, which is placed on the substrate, including a metal section that is raised above the substrate and electrically connected to the readout circuit. The detection device furthermore includes a protection wall that extends under the raised metal section so as to define therewith at least one portion of a cavity, and what is called a reinforcing layer section that is located in the cavity and on which the raised metal section rests.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method of image processing involving: receiving, by a processing device, an input image (IB) captured by a pixel array sensitive to infrared radiation; determining, based on the input image and on a column component vector (VCOL), a first scale factor (?) by estimating a level of the column spread present in the input image; generating column offset values (?.VCOL(y)) based on the product of the first scale factor with the values of the vector; determining, based on the input image and on a 2D dispersion matrix (IDISP), a second scale factor (?) by estimating a level of the 2D dispersion present in the input image; generating pixel offset values (?.IDISP(x,y)) based on the product of the second scale factor with the values of the matrix; and generating a corrected image (IC?) by applying the column and pixel offset values.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a device having a microelectronic component housed in a hermetically sealed vacuum housing, including forming a getter in said housing, pumping out and heating the device to degas elements housed in said housing, after said pumping, hermetically sealing the housing in fluxless fashion. Further, each material forming the device likely to degas into the inner space is a mineral material, the getter is capable of substantially trapping hydrogen only and is inert to oxygen and/or to nitrogen and the heating and the sealing are performed at a temperature lower than 300° C.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a detector capable of detecting a wavelength range [?8; ?14] centered on a wavelength ?10, including: forming said device on a substrate by depositing a sacrificial layer totally embedding said device; forming, on the sacrificial layer, a cap including first, second, and third optical structures transparent in said range [?8; ?14], the second and third optical structures having equivalent refraction indexes at wavelength ?10 respectively greater than or equal to 3.4 and smaller than or equal to 2.3; forming a vent of access to the sacrificial layer through a portion of the cap, and then applying, through the vent, an etching to totally remove the sacrificial layer.

Abstract: A bolometric detection device includes a substrate having a read-out circuit. The device also includes an array of elementary detectors each including a membrane suspended above the substrate and connected to the read-out circuit by at least two electric conductors. The membrane has two electrically-conductive electrodes respectively connected to the two electric conductors, and a volume of transducer material electrically connecting the two electrodes. The read-out circuit is configured to apply an electrical stimulus between the two electrodes of the membrane and to form an electric signal as a response to said application.

Abstract: A device for detecting electromagnetic radiation, including a readout circuit, which is located in a substrate, and an electrical connection pad, which is placed on the substrate, including a metal section that is raised above the substrate and electrically connected to the readout circuit. The detection device furthermore includes a protection wall that extends under the raised metal section so as to define therewith at least one portion of a cavity, and what is called a reinforcing layer section that is located in the cavity and on which the raised metal section rests.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a detector capable of detecting a wavelength range [?8; ?14] centered on a wavelength ?10, including: forming said device on a substrate by depositing a sacrificial layer totally embedding said device; forming, on the sacrificial layer, a cap including first, second, and third optical structures transparent in said range [?8; ?14], the second and third optical structures having equivalent refraction indexes at wavelength ?10 respectively greater than or equal to 3.4 and smaller than or equal to 2.3; forming a vent of access to the sacrificial layer through a portion of the cap, and then applying, through the vent, an etching to totally remove the sacrificial layer.

Abstract: Method of diagnosing the state of signal-forming chains of a detector including an array of detection bolometers, each chain comprising a bolometer, a circuit of stimulation, and a circuit forming a signal according to said stimulation, including forming an image of a substantially uniform scene on the array; applying at least first and second stimulations to the chains; reading the formed signals; and for each chain in a predetermined set, defining a neighborhood of chains; calculating coefficients of a polynomial interpolating the values of signals formed by said chain; calculating, for each chain of the neighborhood, coefficients of a polynomial interpolating the values of signals formed by said neighborhood chain; calculating an average and standard deviation of said coefficients of the neighborhood chains or of the set of neighborhood chains and said chain; and diagnosing if said chain is defective using the coefficients and the calculated average and standard deviation.

Abstract: Infrared detection device comprising a gas detection device comprising a resistive layer, a first portion of which is able to emit infrared radiation able to be absorbed by the gas to be detected, and a second portion of which is thermally coupled to a first element for the thermoresistive transduction of the infrared radiation; a substrate comprising an electronic circuit for controlling and reading the gas detection device; portions of electrically conductive material electrically connecting the first portion and the first thermoresistive transduction element to the electronic circuit, and providing mechanical holding of the first and second portions opposite the substrate so that a distance between the first portion and the substrate is substantially equal to a distance between the second portion and the substrate.

Abstract: A method for detecting infrared radiation includes the steps of: providing a resistive bolometer retina including a plurality of resistive bolometers suspended above a substrate of a bolometric detector; acquiring the infrared radiation by the resistive bolometer retina to produce a plurality of raw read signals provided by the bolometers; correcting a response dispersion of the resistive bolometers in the raw read signals using a gain table, each gain of the gain table being associated with a bolometer of the resistive bolometer retina.

Abstract: The imaging system for imaging field rays comprises a detection surface, a device for focusing the field rays with said detection surface, and a diaphragm. Said device comprises a Fresnel lens comprising a first dioptre, the non-plane surface of which, called the active zone, makes it possible to focus the field rays towards said detection surface, and said diaphragm allows controlled distribution of the field rays over said active zone.

Abstract: A method for detecting infrared radiation by using an array of bolometers. The following steps are used to read a bolometer of the array of bolometers: biasing the bolometer at a predetermined voltage in order to make current flow through the bolometer; subtracting a common-mode current from the current that flows through the bolometers; and producing a voltage by integrating the difference between the current that flows through the bolometers and the common-mode current.

Abstract: Infrared detection device comprising a gas detection device comprising: a resistive layer, a first portion of which is able to emit infrared radiation able to be absorbed by the gas to be detected, and a second portion of which is thermally coupled to a first element for the thermoresistive transduction of said infrared radiation; a substrate comprising an electronic circuit for controlling and reading the gas detection device; portions of electrically conductive material electrically connecting the first portion and the first thermoresistive transduction element to the electronic circuit, and providing mechanical holding of the first and second portions opposite the substrate so that a distance between the first portion and the substrate is substantially equal to a distance between the second portion and the substrate.

Abstract: An infrared detector including an array of detection bolometers each having a bolometric membrane suspended above a substrate, and associated with each bolometer: a detection branch, including the bolometer and a circuit performing a biasing according to a voltage set point, a compensation branch, including a compensation bolometer thermalized to the substrate, a circuit performing a biasing according to a voltage set point, an integrator for generating a voltage by integrating a difference between the currents flowing through said branches, a circuit generating a quantity depending on substrate temperature, including: a bolometer thermalized to the substrate, and a circuit for biasing the bolometer, and a circuit for generating the voltage set points according to said quantity. When the array is exposed to a uniform reference scene, the average of the differences between currents flowing through said branches is within the integrator dynamic range for a substrate temperature range from ?30° C.-90° C.

Abstract: Image correction methods and systems are disclosed that correct raw values, including, subsequent to closing the shutter, acquiring a current raw value table, determining an offset correction table for the current temperature of the detector as a function of the current table and a set of stored raw value tables, and correcting the stream of raw values using the offset correction table. A maintenance process includes testing a condition for replacing a table of the current set with the current table, and if the condition is met, replacing the table of the current set with the current table. This test includes determining whether there is a new set of tables obtained by replacing a table from the current set with the current table that is more relevant than the current set with regard to subsequently determining an offset table.