Electromagnetic radiation detector with large area sensing medium

摘要

A sensing device is provided for the detection of electromagnetic radiation through the use of a large area pyroelectric/piezoelectric sensing medium. The detection operation of the sensing device is constructed to ignore spurious detection indications due to bending or compression of the sensing medium. In a preferred embodiment the sensing device is formed from a two housing construction that includes outer and inner housings. The outer housing of the device includes an infrared transmissive window at one end. To substantially physically isolate the two housings from one another, the inner housing of the device is supported inside the outer housing by means of support members protruding through the opposite end of the outer housing. The sensing medium is disposed in one end of the inner housing and is protected by the outer housing from bending or compressive stress. Also, a rigid low thermal conductive material may be adhered to one side of the sensing medium to reduce low frequency mechanical and acoustical vibration of the medium without substantially reducing the sensitivity of the device and thereby gain signal to noise ratio improvement.