| 摘要 |
A thermal sensing apparatus (29) comprises one or more detector elements which may be pyroelectric elements, a thermal sink (2) and means for intermittently providing a thermal path between the detector element and thermal sink (2) to provide a reset function for the detector elements. This means may be electrostatic, electromagnetic or piezoelectric. The detector elements may be formed on microbridge structures (3) having two arms (4,5) on a silicon substrate (2), where the sensing region is defined by the overlap of top electrode (6) and bottom electrode (7). The apparatus is able to operate as a detector without the requirement of a modulating mechanical chopper. A thermal sensing apparatus (29) with at least one detector element arranged to have a detection period to receive radiation from a source and rise in temperature greater than a reset period where the element returns to equilibrium temperature is also disclosed. |
