Abstract: A method of fabricating a microbridge structure for a thermal detector array comprises growing a planarising layer on a substrate, growing a ferroelectric material layer on the planarising layer and then etching the planarising layer away, either wholly or partially, to leave a ferroelectric microbridge having a uniform thickness. The planarising layer may be a sacrificial layer or may comprise a sacrificial layer as well as other layers.

Abstract: A dielectric bolometer thermal detector of infra-red radiation comprises a layer of dielectric bolometer material, a thermally insulating layer therebelow, a pair of electrodes located on one and the same side of said layer of dielectric bolometer material, a source of bias voltage for providing a bias voltage to said electrode so as to provide a bias field in said layer of bolometer material and a pair of read out contacts respectively connected to said electrodes. A signal which appears between said contacts in response to the application of radiation to said layer of dielectric bolometer material constitutes an output of the detector.