A self-protecting uncooled microbolometer structure for uncooled microbolometer

Youngmin Jo; Il-Woong Kwon; Dong Soo Kim; Hyun Bin Shim; Hee Chul Lee

doi:10.1117/12.884432

20 May 2011 A self-protecting uncooled microbolometer structure for uncooled microbolometer

Youngmin Jo, Il-Woong Kwon, Dong Soo Kim, Hyun Bin Shim, Hee Chul Lee

Proceedings Volume 8012, Infrared Technology and Applications XXXVII; 80121O (2011) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.884432
Event: SPIE Defense, Security, and Sensing, 2011, Orlando, Florida, United States

Abstract

During microbolometer operation, the detector occasionally views high temperature scenes such as the sun or flames at very close distance. The detector temperature can then increase to a level so high that the sensing material experiences an annealing effect. Accordingly, the microbolometer is required to stand high temperatures that can cause device damage. In this paper, a bimorph leg integrated microbolometer structure is proposed. The bimorph leg is an extra leg that is separated from the signal transfer legs. It is bent downward and snaps onto the substrate when the microbolometer's temperature reaches a critical temperature. The temperature of the micro-bolometer is then decreased as heat is transferred to the substrate. By snapping the bimorph leg down onto the substrate, the microbolometer's thermal conductance is temporarily increased roughly three-fold higher than that of the normal state and thermal damage to the bolometer material can be effectively prevented. The increase of thermal conductance can be controlled by changing the size of the bimorph leg.

Citation Download Citation

Youngmin Jo, Il-Woong Kwon, Dong Soo Kim, Hyun Bin Shim, and Hee Chul Lee "A self-protecting uncooled microbolometer structure for uncooled microbolometer", Proc. SPIE 8012, Infrared Technology and Applications XXXVII, 80121O (20 May 2011); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.884432

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