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Surface-Micromachined Planar Arrays of ThermopilesPlanar two-dimensional arrays of thermopiles intended for use as thermal-imaging detectors are to be fabricated by a process that includes surface micromachining. These thermopile arrays are designed to perform better than do prior two-dimensional thermopile arrays. The lower performance of prior two-dimensional thermopile arrays is attributed to the following causes: The thermopiles are made from low-performance thermoelectric materials. The devices contain dielectric supporting structures, the thermal conductances of which give rise to parasitic losses of heat from detectors to substrates. The bulk-micromachining processes sometimes used to remove substrate material under the pixels, making it difficult to incorporate low-noise readout electronic circuitry. The thermoelectric lines are on the same level as the infrared absorbers, thereby reducing fill factor. The improved pixel design of a thermopile array of the type under development is expected to afford enhanced performance by virtue of the following combination of features: Surface-micromachined detectors are thermally isolated through suspension above readout circuitry. The thermopiles are made of such high-performance thermoelectric materials as Bi-Te and Bi-Sb-Te alloys. Pixel structures are supported only by the thermoelectric materials: there are no supporting dielectric structures that could leak heat by conduction to the substrate.
Document ID
20110023817
Acquisition Source
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Document Type
Other - NASA Tech Brief
Authors
Foote, Marc C.
(California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
August 25, 2013
Publication Date
May 1, 2003
Publication Information
Publication: NASA Tech Briefs, May 2003
Subject Category
Man/System Technology And Life Support
Report/Patent Number
NPO-30124
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
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