Infrared imager using room temperature capacitance sensor

摘要

An infrared imager includes an array of capacitance sensors that operate at room temperature. Each infrared capacitance sensor includes a deflectable first plate which expands due to absorbed thermal radiation relative to a non-deflectable second plate. In one embodiment each infrared capacitance sensor is composed of a bi-material strip which changes the position of one plate of a sensing capacitor in response to temperature changes due to absorbed incident thermal radiation. The bi-material strip is composed of two materials with a large difference in thermal expansion coefficients.