An imager pixel comprising a micro-platform supported by phononic nanowires, the nanowires providing an extreme-level of thermal isolation from a surrounding substrate. The micro-platform in embodiments comprises thermal sensors sensitive to heat from absorbed incident longwave/shortwave photonic irradiation. In embodiments, the pixel photonic sensing structure comprises both a thermal sensor together with a separate photodiode/phototransistor/photogate for sensing RGB and NIR wavelengths. Some embodiments comprise a micro-platform with an integral Peltier thermoelectric element permitting in situ refrigeration to cryogenic temperatures.

A sensing element of an infrared detector including a first absorber configured to form a first set of minority carriers upon receipt of an infrared flux, a collector, a first barrier disposed between the first absorber and the collector, a second absorber configured to form a second set of minority carriers upon receipt of the infrared flux, and a second barrier disposed between the second absorber and the collector. In response to a voltage being applied to the collector, the first and second set of minority carriers are collected at the collector.

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 breathing apparatus includes a tube having a proximal end connected to a breathing mask and a distal end connected to a splitter. A first branch has a proximal end connected to the splitter and an open distal end. A first sensor is arranged within the first branch and operatively connected to a processing module. A first flow control valve is arranged in the first branch and operatively connected to the processing module. A second branch has a proximal end connected to the splitter and a distal end connected to an inflatable reservoir. A second sensor is arranged within the second branch and operatively connected to a processing module. A second flow control valve arranged in the second branch and operatively connected to the processing module. The breathing apparatus can adjust a pneumatic resistance according to a programmed training protocol and counteract hyperventilation by recirculating exhaled air.

According to an aspect, there is provided a structure comprising an absorbing layer for absorbing incident infrared radiation received via a receiving surface of the absorbing layer and a plurality of mushroom-shaped plasmonic elements for enhancing absorption of the incident infrared radiation into the absorbing layer. Said plurality of mushroom-shaped plasmonic elements have sub-wavelength dimensions and sub-wavelength spacings and are arranged along the receiving surface. Each of said plurality of mushroom-shaped plasmonic elements project out relative to the receiving surface.

An example object of the present invention is to provide a bolometer-type detector capable of reducing heat transfer between pixels. A bolometer-type detector according to an example aspect of the present invention includes a plurality of pixels, and at least includes: a substrate, a heat insulating layer provided on the substrate, bolometer films provided on individual pixels on the heat insulating layer, and a wiring for signal output connected to contact electrodes provided in contact with the bolometer films, wherein the wiring for signal output is disposed in a layer different from the bolometer films, and the heat insulating layer between adjacent pixels is removed at least partially in the depth direction and in a region of a length of 50% or longer and a width of 100 nm or wider of a closed curve that surrounds each bolometer film.

A subwavelength gold hole/disk array that when coupled with a ground plane induces extraordinary transmission through the hole/disk array and zero back reflection. The hole/disk array functions as a “light funnel” in couling incident radiation into the cavity with about 100% efficiency over a narrow resonant bandwidth, which results in frequency-selective perfect (˜100%) absorption of the incident radiation. Such an optical frequency-selective absorber enables flexible scaling of detector response to any wavelength range by pattern dimensional changes, enabling uncooled frequency selective detection and “color” imaging in the infrared domain. Methods and applications are disclosed.

An infrared sensor comprises a base substrate including a recess, a bolometer infrared ray receiver, and a Peltier device. The bolometer infrared ray receiver comprises a resistance variable layer, a bolometer first beam, and a bolometer second beam. The Peltier device comprises a Peltier first beam formed of a p-type semiconductor material and a Peltier second beam formed of an n-type semiconductor material. The Peltier device is in contact with a back surface of the bolometer infrared ray receiver. One end of each of the bolometer first beam, the bolometer second beam, the Peltier first beam, and the Peltier second beam is connected to the base substrate. The bolometer infrared ray receiver and the Peltier device are suspended above the base substrate. Each of the bolometer first beam, the bolometer second beam, the Peltier first beam, and the Peltier second beam has a phononic crystal structure including a plurality of through holes arranged regularly.

An infrared image sensor includes a first integrate circuit (IC), a bolometer disposed on or above one surface of the first IC configured to detect infrared rays passing through a lens module, a via electrically connecting the first IC and the bolometer, and a reflective layer disposed between the first IC and the bolometer, wherein the first IC includes at least one of a read-out (RO) element configured to perform analog processing for the bolometer to generate infrared sensing information and an image signal process (ISP) element configured to perform digital processing based on the bolometer to generate infrared image information, and at least one of an autofocusing (AF) control element and an optical image stabilization (OIS) control element configured to adjust a positional relationship between the lens module and the bolometer.

The present invention relates to a phononic-isolated Kinetic Inductance Detector (KID) and a method of fabrication thereof. The KID is a highly sensitive superconducting cryogenic detector which can be scaled to very large format arrays. The fabrication process of the KID of the present invention integrates a phononic crystal into a KID architecture. The phononic structures are designed to reduce the loss of recombination and athermal phonons, resulting in lower noise and higher sensitivity detectors.