MICROMACHINED INFRARED SENSITIVE PIXEL AND INFRARED IMAGER

摘要

An infrared (IR) sensitive pixel (20) and an IR imager (100) including the same. According to one embodiment, the pixel includes a substrate assembly (24) having a cavity (26) defined by at least one sidewall (33) and a cantilevered beam (22) connected to the substrate assembly and disposed in the cavity. The cantilevered beam includes a first spring portion (28) and a first capacitor plate portion (30), wherein the first spring portion includes at least two materials having different coefficients of thermal expansion. The pixel further includes a second capacitor plate portion (30, 34), such that incident IR radiation causes the first spring portion of the cantilevered beam to move laterally relative to the sidewall, thereby creating a variable capacitance between the first capacitor plate portion of the cantilevered beam and the second capacitor plate portion.