Systems, methods, and apparatuses for providing electromagnetic radiation sensing using sequential beam splitting. The apparatuses can include a micro-mirror chip having a plurality of light reflecting surfaces, an image sensor having an imaging surface, and a beamsplitter unit located between the micro-mirror chip and the image sensor. The beamsplitter unit includes a plurality of beamsplitters aligned along a horizontal axis that is parallel to the micro-mirror chip and the imaging surface. The beamsplitters implement the sequential beam splitting. Because of the structure of the beamsplitter unit, the height of the arrangement of the micro-mirror chip, the beamsplitter unit, and the image sensor is reduced such that the arrangement can fit within a mobile device. Within a mobile device, the apparatuses can be utilized for human detection, fire detection, gas detection, temperature measurements, environmental monitoring, energy saving, behavior analysis, surveillance, information gathering and for human-machine interfaces.

A MEMS device according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a lower substrate; an infrared sensor formed on the lower substrate; and a lower bonding pad disposed to cover the infrared sensor. The infrared sensor includes: a metal pad formed on an upper surface of the lower substrate and electrically connected to a detection circuit; a reflective layer formed on the upper surface of the lower substrate and reflecting an infrared band; an absorption plate disposed to be spaced apart from an upper portion of the reflective layer and absorbing infrared rays to change resistance; and an anchor formed on the metal pad to support the absorption plate and to electrically connect the metal pad and the absorption plate to each other. The reflective layer has a curved or stepped shape such that a distance between the reflective layer and the absorption plate varies depending on a position of the reflective layer.

The use of silicon or vanadium oxide nanocomposite consisting of graphene deposited on top of an existing amorphous silicon or vanadium oxide microbolometer can result in a higher sensitivity IR detector. An IR bolometer type detector consisting of a thermally isolated nano-sized (<one micron feature size) electro-mechanical structure comprised of Si3N4, SiO2 thins films, suspended over a cavity with a copper thin film reflecting surface is described. On top of the suspended thin film is a nanostructure composite comprised of graphene monolayers, covered with various surface densities of VoXy or amorphous nanoparticles, followed by another graphene layer. The two conducting legs are connected to a readout integrated circuit (ROIC) fabricated on a CMOS wafer underneath. The nanostructure is fabricated after the completion of the ROIC process and is integrate able with the CMOS process.

A microbolometer for measuring thermal radiation comprises an electrical circuit on a perforated plastic substrate. The electrical circuit comprises at least one thermistor having a temperature dependent electric resistance, wherein the thermistor is arranged to receive the thermal radiation for changing its temperature depending on a flux of the received thermal radiation. The electrical circuit is configured to measure the electric resistance of the thermistor for calculating the thermal radiation. The microbolometer is configured to cause a gas flow through the perforations for improving thermal characteristics.

Passive detector structures for imaging systems are provided which implement unpowered, passive front-end detector structures with direct-to-digital measurement data output for detecting incident photonic radiation in various portions (e.g., thermal (IR), near IR, UV and visible light) of the electromagnetic spectrum.

A photosensor includes: a support; a thermoelectric conversion material section that is disposed on a first main surface of the support and that includes a plurality of first material layers each having an elongated shape, a plurality of second material layers each having electrical conductivity and an elongated shape, and an insulating film, the first material layers and the second material layers each being configured to convert thermal energy into electrical energy; a heat sink that is disposed on a second main surface of the support and along an outer edge of the support; a light-absorbing film that is disposed in a region surrounded by inner edges of the heat sink as viewed in a thickness direction of the support so as to form temperature differences on the first main surface of the support in longitudinal directions of the first material layers.

Systems, methods, and apparatuses for providing electromagnetic radiation sensing using sequential beam splitting. The apparatuses can include a micro-mirror chip having a plurality of light reflecting surfaces, an image sensor having an imaging surface, and a beamsplitter unit located between the micro-mirror chip and the image sensor. The beamsplitter unit includes a plurality of beamsplitters aligned along a horizontal axis that is parallel to the micro-mirror chip and the imaging surface. The beamsplitters implement the sequential beam splitting. Because of the structure of the beamsplitter unit, the height of the arrangement of the micro-mirror chip, the beamsplitter unit, and the image sensor is reduced such that the arrangement can fit within a mobile device. Within a mobile device, the apparatuses can be utilized for human detection, fire detection, gas detection, temperature measurements, environmental monitoring, energy saving, behavior analysis, surveillance, information gathering and for human-machine interfaces.

An image sensor includes on a support a plurality of first pixels and a plurality of second pixels intended to detect an infrared radiation emitted by an element of a scene. Each of the pixels includes a bolometric membrane suspended above a reflector covering the support, wherein the reflector of each of the first pixels is covered with a first dielectric layer, and the reflector of each of the second pixels is covered with a second dielectric layer differing from the first dielectric layer by its optical properties.

This infrared imaging element includes: a substrate which has a front surface and a back surface and to which a circuit unit is provided; a support leg wiring line that is disposed above the front surface of the substrate; and an infrared-ray detection unit which is held on the support leg wiring line and to which a diode electrically connected to the circuit unit via the support leg wiring line is provided, wherein the temperature change of the infrared-ray detection unit is detected as an electrical signal change of the diode by the circuit unit. The substrate, the support leg wiring line, and the infrared-ray detection unit are laminated at intervals in a direction perpendicular to the front surface of the substrate.

Systems, methods, and apparatuses for providing on-board electromagnetic radiation sensing using beam splitting in a radiation sensing apparatus. The radiation sensing apparatuses can include a micro-mirror chip including a plurality of light reflecting surfaces. The apparatuses can also include an image sensor including an imaging surface. The apparatuses can also include a beamsplitter unit located between the micro-mirror chip and the image sensor. The beamsplitter unit can include a beamsplitter that includes a partially-reflective surface that is oblique to the imaging surface and the micro-mirror chip. The apparatuses can also include an enclosure configured to enclose at least the beamsplitter and a light source. With the apparatuses, the light source can be attached to a printed circuit board (PCB). Also, the enclosure can include an inner surface that has an angled reflective surface that is configured to reflect light from the light source in a direction towards the beamsplitter.