Abstract: An imaging system that includes an image sensor and imaging optics is provided. The image sensor has a sensing surface and it captures images of a scene. The imaging optics is optically coupled to the image sensor and is configured to form the images of the scene onto the sensing surface of the image sensor. The imaging optics includes a sensor-adjacent optical element having an exit surface located in close proximity to the sensing surface of the image sensor. The exit surface of the sensor-adjacent optical element and the sensing surface of the image sensor are spaced apart by a gap having a gap width enabling evanescent-wave coupling from the exit surface to the sensing surface for light having wavelengths within the sensor spectral range.

Abstract: A thermal radiation detector is disclosed that includes a substrate, a platform suspended above the substrate, a support structure holding the platform, and a temperature sensor disposed on the platform and having an electrical parameter that varies in accordance with the temperature of the temperature sensor. The detector also includes a carbon-nanotube-based optical absorber in thermal contact with the temperature sensor and configured to absorb electromagnetic radiation to generate heat to change the temperature of the temperature sensor. The optical absorber may include a carbon nanotube film, for example, obtained by spray coating. The detector further includes a passivation layer structure disposed over the optical absorber, which may be made of a metal compound, for example, titanium or aluminum oxide. The thermal radiation detector may be a microbolometer detector, a thermocouple/thermopile detector, or a pyroelectric detector.