Abstract: A thermoelectric generator includes a substrate and one or more thermoelectric elements on the substrate and each configured to convert a thermal drop across the thermoelectric elements into an electric potential by Seebeck effect. The thermoelectric generator includes a cavity between the substrate and the thermoelectric elements. The thermoelectric generator includes, within the cavity, a support structure for supporting the thermoelectric elements. The support structure has a thermal conductivity lower than a thermal conductivity of the substrate.

Abstract: A system for modulating a terahertz beam includes a multiferroic nanoparticle heterostructure through which a terahertz beam can be propagated, and means for applying an external direct current (DC) magnetic field to the multiferroic nanoparticle heterostructure and the terahertz beam propagating through it, wherein application of the DC magnetic field modulates one or both of an amplitude and a phase of the terahertz beam.

Abstract: A microfluidic-based sensor, comprising: a semiconductor body, having a first and a second side opposite to one another in a direction; a buried channel, extending within the semiconductor body; a structural layer, of dielectric or insulating material, formed over the first side of the semiconductor body at least partially suspended above the buried channel; and a first thermocouple element, including a first strip, of a first electrical conductive material, and a second strip, of a second electrical conductive material different from the first electrical conductive material, electrically coupled to the first strip. The first thermocouple element is buried in the structural layer and partially extends over the buried channel at a first location. A corresponding manufacturing method is disclosed.

Abstract: A semiconductor device may include a semiconductor die having an active region. The semiconductor device may also include a thermocouple mesh proximate to the active region. The thermocouple mesh may include a first set of wires of a first material extending in a first direction, and a second set of wires of a second material. The second material may be different from the first material. In addition, the second set of wires may extend in a second direction different than the first direction of the first wires.

Abstract: The described embodiments relate generally to adjusting output or conditioning of an electron beam. More specifically various configurations are disclosed that relate to maintaining a footprint of the electron beam incident to a workpiece within a defined energy level. Such a configuration allows the electron beam to heat only specific portions of the workpiece to a superheated state in which intermetallic compounds are dissolved. In one embodiment a mask is disclosed that prevents low energy portions of an electron beam from contacting the workpiece. In another embodiment the electron beam can be focused in a way that maintains the electron beam at an energy level such that substantially all of the electron beam is above a threshold energy level.

Abstract: An apparatus having: one or more infrared imagers capable of detecting light having wavelengths of 8-10 microns and 20-22 microns and a window transparent to light having wavelengths of 8-10 microns and 20-22 microns.

Abstract: Sensors, systems including sensors, and methods of using such sensors and systems are provided. In one aspect, a sensor includes a sensor element at least partially positioned within the housing. The sensor element includes a plurality of interconnected segments with each segment comprising a pyroelectric crystal and wherein the sensor may generate a single, unitary signal upon exposure of any segment to infrared radiation.

Abstract: A shadow band assembly includes a platform and an arcuate shadow arm extending upward from the platform and terminating in a free end above the platform. A sun sensor mounting location is located below the free end of the shadow arm. The arm is preferably further supported by a vertical strut. According to other embodiments, the arm is hollow and contains a fluid conduit and/or an electrical cable. A sun sensor may be mounted on top of the free end of the arm and a fluid nozzle may be mounted under the free end. A shadow band pyranometer includes the shadow band assembly, a sun sensor mounted at the mounting location and a motor drive coupled to the platform for azimuth tracking. Additional sensors with zenith tracking may also be provided.

Abstract: A shadow band assembly includes a platform and an arcuate shadow arm extending upward from the platform and terminating in a free end above the platform. A sun sensor mounting location is located below the free end of the shadow arm. The arm is preferably further supported by a vertical strut. According to other embodiments, the arm is hollow and contains a fluid conduit and/or an electrical cable. A sun sensor may be mounted on top of the free end of the arm and a fluid nozzle may be mounted under the free end. A shadow band pyranometer includes the shadow band assembly, a sun sensor mounted at the mounting location and a motor drive coupled to the platform for azimuth tracking. Additional sensors with zenith tracking may also be provided.

Abstract: A structure and method for transferring electronic charge or heat or light between substrates. The structure includes first and second substrates separated from one another and a plurality of localized spacers connecting the first and second substrates together. At least one of the localized spacers having a lateral dimension less than 350 nm. A sub-micron separation distance between the first and second substrates is configured to provide carrier tunneling or to provide heat transfer or light transfer between the first and second substrates. The method provides charge carriers or heat or light to a first substrate. The first substrate is separated from a second substrate by at least one localized spacer having a lateral dimension less than 350 nm and tunnels the charge carriers or couples the heat or couples light from the first substrate to the second substrate across a sub-micron gap between the first and second substrates formed by the at least one localized spacer.

Abstract: An MTPV thermophotovoltaic chip comprising a photovoltaic cell substrate, micron/sub-micron gap-spaced from a juxtaposed heat or infrared radiation-emitting substrate, with a radiation-transparent intermediate window substrate preferably compliantly adhered to the photovoltaic cell substrate and bounding the gap space therewith.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to synthesis of radioactive material, such as a tritiated polymer, and an apparatus for generating electrical current from the nuclear decay process of a radioactive material. In one embodiment, the invention relates to an energy cell (e.g., a battery) for generating electrical current derived from particle emissions occurring within a radioactive material such as a tritiated polymer) on pore walls of a porous semiconductor. The radioactive material may be introduced into the energy cell by a wetting process.

Abstract: A thermal detection device having hot and cold regions, first and second thermocouples disposed across the hot and cold regions each with terminals at the cold region, a thermal absorber disposed at the hot region and in thermal communication with the first and second thermocouples, and a base header having a support surface and a non-support surface. A portion of the support surface opposes a portion of the cold region, and a portion of the non-support surface opposes a portion of the hot region. The second thermocouple has a polarity opposite to the polarity of the first thermocouple.

Abstract: An integrated sensor comprising a thermopile transducer and signal processing circuitry that are combined on a single semiconductor substrate, such that the transducer output signal is sampled in close vicinity by the processing circuitry. The sensor comprises a frame formed of a semiconductor material that is not heavily doped, and with which a diaphragm is supported. The diaphragm has a first surface for receiving thermal (e.g., infrared) radiation, and comprises multiple layers that include a sensing layer containing at least a pair of interlaced thermopiles. Each thermopile comprises a sequence of thermocouples, each thermocouple comprising dissimilar electrically-resistive materials that define hot junctions located on the diaphragm and cold junctions located on the frame. The signal processing circuitry is located on the frame and electrically interconnected with the thermopiles.

Abstract: A radiation sensor which includes a thermopile for detecting radiant energy. The thermopile and a support rim for the thermopile are fabricated as an integrated unit to form a support chip. The support chip is mated to a mating chip so that the thermopile is positioned in an inner cavity region of the radiation sensor. The sensor has a window which permits the transmission of radiant energy into the enclosure such that the radiant energy impinges upon a central absorber region of the thermopile.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for maintaining a viewing window of a detector substantially clean includes enclosing the detector within a housing, and moving a target surface relative to the viewing window to create an airflow adjacent the viewing window. The housing can include an aperture through which the viewing window of the sensor views the target surface. Motion of the target surface creates an airflow velocity adjacent the viewing window for maintaining the viewing window substantially clean. To increase the accuracy of the detector, a high emissivity area is provided on an outside surface of the housing which faces the target surface.

Abstract: A method for forming thermal isolation for a micro thermopile device comprises steps of forming a narrow etching window on the membrane and forming a plurality of micro connection structures each crossing the narrow etching window and connecting the edge portion of the membrane on both sides of the narrow etching window, and etching the silicon substrate through the narrow etching window to form a pit between the silicon substrate and the membrane, whereby the membrane becomes a floating membrane and has thermal isolation with the silicon substrate. By this method, the area of the floating membrane is increased and the strain of the floating membrane is reduced.

Abstract: A thermoelectric sensor device is disclosed consisting of polysilicon, titanium or AlSiCu as the thermocouple of material for thermoelectric sensor device. The features of the present process are: Selecting a material such as aluminum, titanium, aluminum alloy or titanium alloy with lower thermal conductivity coefficient as thermocouple element line and making use of zigzag structure with thermocouple element line, and increasing the length of thermocouple element line. Employing front side Si bulk etching technique to etch the silicon substrate, which is under the device and empty of silicon substrate, so as to reduce the superficial measure of thermoelectric sensor module and increase the throughout of the silicon wafer. Simultaneously, fabricating a resistor to treat as a heater on the membrane for adjusting the device.

Abstract: A method and device for transmitting thermal energy from the surface of the earth into deep space to assist in the alleviation of global warming. The method comprises arranging a thermal energy transmitting material over a terrestrial object, and, positioning said thermal energy transmitting material so that a transmitting surface thereof faces deep space, said material having spectral surface properties of high emissivity in a spectral band substantially transparent to the atmosphere of the earth. The device comprises a thermal energy transmitting material designed to cover a terrestrial object and positioned with a transmitting surface thereof facing deep space, said transmitting material having spectral surface properties of high emissivity in a spectral band substantially transparent to the atmosphere of the earth.

Abstract: A thermopile radiation detector (10) has an optical filter layer (16) that supports a thermopile detector (22) and, in addition, filters undesired wavelengths. The filtering is accomplished by selectively absorbing electromagnetic radiation at predetermined wavelengths. The use of the thermopile radiation detector simplifies the overall construction of a system that incorporates the detector by eliminating one focal point in the optical system. By altering the filter material, the number of layers of filter material, etc., a plurality of detectors can be constructed, each responsive to a different wavelength. In forming the detector, the filter can be deposited on a thin backing material such as aluminum. Examples of suitable filter materials include alternating layers of zinc selenide/magnesium fluoride or germanium/magnesium fluoride. After the filter is deposited, the backing is etched away and suitable thermocouples, such as bismuth/antimony, are deposited on one side of the filter.

Abstract: A thermal sensor array includes a dielectric layer including a plurality of individual thermal sensors and a pattern of deposited electrical interconnections facing at least one surface of the dielectric layer for providing electrical connections from each of the plurality of individual thermal sensors, the dielectric layer and the pattern of deposited electrical interconnections being surface-conformable. The thermal sensor array can be used in a diagnostic tool that further includes: a scanning device coupled to the pattern of deposited electrical interconnections for obtaining sensor signals from the thermal sensors; and a computer for processing the sensor signals to estimate temperature distributions.

Abstract: A thermopile detector for a temperature measuring instrument physically and electrically configured to supply an output signal which indicates a target temperature substantially independent of the influence of ambient temperature changes. The detector is comprised of a plurality of interleaved and electrically opposing thermocouples on a common surface of a substrate wherein the interleaved thermocouples are comprised of active thermocouples having a high emissivity coating to increase their sensitivity to infrared radiation and blind compensating thermocouples having a low emissivity coating to minimize their sensitivity to infrared radiation.

Abstract: A highly integrated thermal sensor (10) is responsive to radiation having wavelengths within a predetermined band of wavelengths. The sensor, which may be a thermopile, is comprised of a substrate (16) comprised of at least one semiconductor material. The substrate includes at least one active region disposed within a first surface of the substrate. The sensor further includes a plurality of thermally-responsive junctions (HJ, CJ) between dissimilar materials (22, 24) that are disposed within the at least one active region, wherein at least one of the thermally-responsive junctions is a hot junction. The hot junction is thermally isolated from the substrate by being suspended from the substrate on dielectric bridges or, in another embodiment, by a thermally insulating and patterned polymer. In a backside illuminated embodiment of this invention the sensor further includes an optical cavity (26) formed within a second surface of the substrate in registration with the active region.

Abstract: A ferroelectric material, its fabrication technique, and use as a detector aterial, in a ferroelectric detector array is disclosed. The material is an alloy of essential pure components of Pb.sub.2 (Fe, Nb)O.sub.2 and Pb.sub.2 (Fe, Ta)O.sub.2 each with respective Curie temperatures. An essentially linear relationship is made for mole fraction compositions versus Curie temperatures of each component in the alloy, between the pure mole fractions and respective Curie temperatures of the pure components. A Curie temperature for the composition of Pb.sub.2 (Fe, [Ta.sub.(1-x), Nb.sub.x ])O.sub.6 is determined, where x is the mole fraction of Pb.sub.2 (Fe,Nb)O.sub.2 and 1-x is the mole fraction of Pb.sub.2 (Fe, Ta)O.sub.2, with x having a value greater than zero and less than one.

Abstract: A thermocouple housing having a ceramic protection tube with a closed end for immersion into a metal melt and an open end for receiving thermocouple wires. The ceramic protection tube has a reduced diameter portion spaced from the open end by a distance x. A metal protection tube having a threaded end and adapted at an opposite end for attachment to a connection head for electrical connection of the thermocouple wires to a meter for measuring a potential difference between the wires is connected to the ceramic protection tube by an adaptor. The adaptor comprises a hollow body having a through passage which receives the ceramic protection tube at one end and the metal protection tube at an opposite end, the through passage being threaded for coupling to the metal protection tube. A radially inwardly directed shoulder projecting into the through passage is spaced from the threaded end by a distance which exceeds x and is dimensioned so as to accommodate the open end of the ceramic protection tube.

Abstract: A temperature compensation type infrared sensor includes a substrate having a central pit and functioning as a heat sink with an insulation film formed on the top face of the substrate and defining a diaphragm located above the pit, a plurality of thermocouples disposed on the insulation film and connected in series with each of said thermocouples having a hot junction on said diaphragm and a cold junction on the heat sink, and a thermopile element including a black body on the central portion of the diaphragm in the insulation film for absorbing infrared rays with the thermopile element being placed on a thermistor chip for compensating temperature.

Abstract: Disclosed is a thermopile improved in its measurement sensitivity and manufacturing cost, which comprises a pillar-shaped substrate having a side extending in the parallel direction to an incident light to be measured so as not to be irradiated with the incident light, and first and second thermoelectric material layers arranged alternately on the side of the pillar-shaped substrate along the extending direction of the side of said pillar-shaped substrate.

Abstract: A fully reticulated pyroelectric imager is made by affixing a first major surface of a layer of poled pyroelectric material to a substrate and polishing a second major surface of the pyroelectric layer to reduce the layer to a predetermined thickness. An electrically conductive electrode layer is deposited on the second major surface of the pyroelectric layer and portions of the electrode layer are selectively removed to define a two dimensional array of front side electrodes on the pyroelectric layer. Portions of the pyroelectric layer are then selectively removed to define a two dimensional array of pyroelectric detector elements on the substrate, with one of the front side electrodes on the second major surface of each detector element. A polymer layer is deposited over the arrays of front side electrodes and detector elements and a portion of the polymer layer is selectively removing over each front side electrode to create a via to each front side electrode.

Abstract: A temperature measuring device for a rotating roll comprises a housing with guide rollers around which a belt is looped and held under tension by an idler roll. One boundary of the housing is arched concavely in accordance with typical roll diameters to enable the blet to run freely in this region outside the housing and press against a roll surface in a looping region to drive the belt as the roll rotates. The inner side of the belt facing away from the roll may be blackened and the energy radiated therefrom may be measured by a radiation pyrometer to determine the temperature of the roll.

Abstract: A thermoelement which rapidly determines temperature and which is protected from disturbing signals during the measurement of temperature in a vacuum furnace composed of a thermocouple which is protectively sheathed by a transparent quartz glass portective tubing pipe which has wrapped around it a continuous conductive metal element which is grounded.

Abstract: Pyroelectric crystals having relatively high figures of merit (p/K) of the order of 1.8 or more are provided. They are preferably prepared by doping alanine substituted triglycine sulfate crystals with phosphorous and/or arsenic.

Abstract: A pyroelectric detector comprising a functional portion in which opposed electrodes 111 to 118 are formed on both surfaces of a pyroelectric type substrate 101 and four light receiving electrode portions a, b, c and d are structured by the opposed electrodes 111 to 118. Among the light receiving electrode portions a, b, c and d, the light receiving electrode portions a and c in odd-numbered positions constitute one light receiving electrode group A and the light receiving electrode portions b and d in even-numbered positions constitute the other light receiving electrode group B. The light receiving electrode portions a and c and the light receiving electrode portions b and d are electrically connected alternately and in series, and the light receiving electrode group A and the other light receiving electrode group B are connected to have opposite polarities.

Abstract: The detecting element of a thermoelectric infrared detector consists of p-n junctions of a thermopile which are located on a thin layer of unsupported silicon dioxide. The silicon dioxide spans an opening which extends through a silicon semiconductor substrate. The reference junctions of the thermopile are located above the silicon substrate. The detecting p-n junctions on the thin silicon dioxide above the opening in the substrate have a low heat capacity and respond rapidly to temperature changes, whereas the reference junctions above the thick substrate have a much higher heat capacity and tend to maintain their ambient temperature. The conduction of heat between the detecting p-n junctions and the reference junctions is limited by the thin insulating layer of silicon dioxide which joins the detecting p-n junctions to the substrate under the reference junctions.

Abstract: A lattice array of metal sheathed mineral insulated cables each cable having a coaxial conductor comprising alternate lengths of dissimilar thermo-electric material to provide thermo-electric junctions. The junctions are in two groups of opposite polarity and those of one group are disposed at the intersections of the cables while those of the other are disposed between intersections. Localized temperature increases create differentials between groups of sensors and can be located by the co-ordinates of the lattice array.

Abstract: An integrated-circuit thermocouple signal conditioner having on a single chip an amplifier and a transistor circuit responsive to the chip temperature for developing a cold-junction compensation signal referred to 0.degree. Celsius. The amplifier includes two matched differential input amplifiers the outputs of which are summed and used to control a high-gain main amplifier. Thermocouple signals are applied to one of the input amplifiers, serving as a floating input stage, and the main amplifier output is connected through a feedback network to the input of the other differential amplifier. A cold junction compensation signal also is applied to the input of the other differential amplifier. The compensation is a differential voltage proportional to the Celsius temperature of the chip; the compensation voltage comprises two components having positive and negative temperature coefficients.

Abstract: A very thin insulator having a dipole structure such as a dielectric material having ferroelectric, pyroelectric and or thermodielectric properties, is used as the insulator insulating an electrode of an electrode pair from a semiconductor body sandwiched between said electrode pair forming a MIS structure. Radiation and solar energy conversion systems based on establishment of an inversion layer by the thermally released bound charges of a polarizable dielectric layer or an electret and irradation of the semiconductor to separate the electron-hole pairs and subsequent collection of mobile carriers. Since there is no metalurgical junction, the generated carriers are not junction limited therefore the generated voltage could be higher than in an ordinary junction solar cell and could also be, an alternating current voltage which can be transformed or rectified.

Abstract: A very thin insulator having a dipole structure such as a dielectric material having ferroelectric properties and, preferably, also having thermodielectric properties, is used as the insulator insulating an electrode of an electrode pair from a semiconductor body sandwiched between said electrode pair. The utilization of the charge storage and transfer ability serves as a large scale memory device. Radiation detection and solar energy conversion systems based on establishment of an inversion layer by the bound charge of thermodielectric layer or an electret and irradiation of the semiconductor to separate the electron-hole pair and subsequent collection of minority carriers. Since there is no physical junction, the voltage is high, and can be an alternating current voltage which can be transformed. In one embodiment the dielectric material exhibiting thermodielectric properties provides the bound charge and is used in a thermal imaging system.

Abstract: A thermal element arrangement having a plurality of thermal elements connected in series, and in which an insulation layer has thereon a plurality of metal conductor paths situated on the semiconductor substrate. Each thermal element has one of the metal conductor paths forming a first leg and a semiconductor region forming a second leg. A thermal contact is included having a metal semiconductor contact with the respective semiconductor regions. The semiconductor substrate is less than 10 .mu.m thick in the region where the thermal contacts which are to be heated up is located. Elsewhere, the substrate has a thickness of more than 200 .mu.m which is in that region in which there are situated the contacts which are to be kept cold during the operation of the arrangement. One preferred arrangement has the thermal contacts to be heated during operation surrounded in a star-shaped manner by thermal contacts which are to be kept cold.

Abstract: A noncontacting-type pyrometer for measuring the temperature of a glass ribbon has a hot junction at the center of a circular black body adjacent a first surface thereof and a layer of thermal insulating material on the opposite second surface. The radius (a) of the black body, the spacing (b) of the pyrometer from the glass ribbon and the thickness (c) of the black body is selected to satisfy the equation b<a/5c in order that the temperature of the black body as measured by the hot junction is approximately the temperature of the glass ribbon.

Abstract: A pyroelectric detector as formed by parylene C polymer film.

Abstract: A thermopile type radiation detector for use in radiation pyrometry having small size and high performance in which the thermopiles are formed by evaporating the thermocouple leads onto a thin substrate together with a pattern distribution of thermocouple junctions that produces an output that is more representative of the distributed radiant energy impinging on the hot junctions of the thermopile. The thermopile performance is improved also by the incorporation of relatively large reflecting areas associated with the region of the thermopile where the cold junctions are located.