Abstract: An uncooled infrared sensor can be used for a plurality of applications such as fire fighting, surveilling a border or any desired area, and limb sounding. The uncooled infrared sensor includes manually or automatically adjustable optics that receive an electromagnetic signal, focus the electromagnetic signal and provide a focused electromagnetic signal to a focal plane array. The focal plane array includes a plurality of detector devices disposed in rows and columns to form the focal plane array. Each detector device is constructed so as to have a reduced pitch and provide a maximum number of detectors within a minimum square area of the focal plane array. Each detector device detects the focused electromagnetic signal incident upon it, converts the focused electromagnetic signal into a sensed signal and outputs the sensed signal so that the focal plane array provides a plurality of sensed signals.

Abstract: An uncooled infrared sensor can be used for a plurality of applications such as fire fighting, surveilling a border or any desired area, and limb sounding. The uncooled infrared sensor includes manually or automatically adjustable optics that receive an electromagnetic signal, focus the electromagnetic signal and provide a focused electromagnetic signal to a focal plane array. The focal plane array includes a plurality of detector devices disposed in rows and columns to form the focal plane array. Each detector device is constructed so as to have a reduced pitch and provide a maximum number of detectors within a minimum square area of the focal plane array. Each detector device detects the focused electromagnetic signal incident upon it, converts the focused electromagnetic signal into a sensed signal and outputs the sensed signal so that the focal plane array provides a plurality of sensed signals.

Abstract: A microbridge detector is with an active area that is smaller than a pixel collection area of the microbridge detector. The microbridge detector includes a semiconductor substrate on a first level and an microbridge level disposed above the semiconductor substrate. The microbridge level includes the active area having the pixel collection area greater than a square area of the active area of the microbridge detector. In addition, downwardly extending leg portions are a continuation of the microbridge level and support the microbridge level above the semiconductor substrate so that a thermal isolation gap exists between the microbridge level and the semiconductor substrate. Further, electrically conductive paths are included within the downwardly extending leg portions and connect the active area in the microbridge level to the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: The present method for non-contact testing of infrared photovoltaic detectors employs a probe which is positioned a distance "d" from a detector contact to form a capacitance between the probe and the detector. The probe signal is amplified by a preamplifier and the diode is excited both electrically, through the common contact, and optically with a known infrared signal. The probe position is controlled by measuring the probe to detector capacitance. Electrical and electro-optical detector parameters can be determined using standard AC circuit analysis techniques.