Optical sensor with mirror toggling

摘要

An optical sensor comprising a focal plane, a toggle mirror and an electronics plane. The focal plane includes a multitude of unit cells; and each of the unit cells has a given surface area on the focal plane and includes an optical detector, a real pixel and at least one virtual pixel. The optical detector of each unit cell includes a detector surface that defines the real pixel of the unit cell, and the optical detectors of the sensor are spaced apart and the virtual pixels of the sensor are formed by the spaces between the optical detectors. The toggle mirror directs an image onto the focal plane and steps each of the pixels of the focal plane over one of the optical detectors so that those detectors generate electric signals representing the intensity of light incident on the pixels. The electronics plane of the sensor includes a multitude of electronic circuits and each of these circuits receives and amplifies the electric signals from a respective one of the optical detectors. The electronics plane is located immediately rearward of the focal plane, and each of the electronic circuits has a substantially planar configuration and has a surface area on the electronics plane less that the given surface area of a respective one of the unit cells.