Abstract: A method and structure use characteristics of a plasma discharge for verifying a hermetic seal. The plasma discharge is created in a hermetically sealed cavity by a pair of spaced electrodes that extend from tips inside the hermetically sealed cavity to contacts outside the sealed cavity. An electrical bias is applied to the contacts that is sufficient to create a plasma discharge in a properly hermetically sealed cavity but not in an unsealed cavity.

Abstract: An infrared (IR) sensor includes a semiconductor material, a circular membrane and a thermopile. The semiconductor material includes a cavity surrounded by a frame. The circular membrane is positioned over the cavity and has a perimeter supported by the frame. The membrane has a first surface for receiving thermal radiation and an oppositely-disposed second surface. The membrane includes at least one infrared absorbing layer. The thermopile includes a plurality of serially connected thermocouples. Each of the thermocouples has dissimilar electrically-resistive materials that define measurement junctions, which are positioned on the membrane, and reference junctions, which are positioned on the frame.