Infrared detecting apparatus and infrared imaging apparatus using the same

Abstract

An infrared detecting apparatus includes: a substrate; an infrared detector which detects infrared radiation; a first supporting member which extends between the infrared detector and the substrate, and which supports the infrared detector apart from the substrate; a second supporting member which extends between the infrared detector and the substrate, and which supports the infrared detector apart from the substrate; and a plurality of wirings which extend between the infrared detector and the substrate, and which are all provided to the first supporting member.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an infrared imaging apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the infrared imaging apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3A is a schematic cross-sectional view of an infrared detecting apparatus of a one-legged type;

FIG. 3B is a schematic cross-sectional view of an infrared detecting apparatus of a two-legged type;

FIG. 3C is a schematic cross-sectional view of an infrared detecting apparatus such that the diaphragm of the infrared detecting apparatus of the two-legged type is cut into two equal parts;

FIG. 3D is a schematic cross-sectional view of the infrared detecting apparatus of the two-legged type which is deformed; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an infrared detecting apparatus disclosed in a report by R. A. Wood.

Claims

1. An infrared detecting apparatus comprising: a substrate;an infrared detector which detects infrared radiation;a first supporting member which extends between the infrared detector and the substrate, and which supports the infrared detector apart from the substrate;a second supporting member which extends between the infrared detector and the substrate, and which supports the infrared detector apart from the substrate; anda plurality of wirings which extend between the infrared detector and the substrate, and which are all provided to the first supporting member.

2. The infrared detecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first supporting member is thicker than the second supporting member.

3. The infrared detecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the infrared detector includes a diaphragm and a temperature sensor provided to the diaphragm.

4. An infrared imaging apparatus comprising: a substrate;a plurality of infrared detectors which are arranged along the substrate, and which detect infrared radiation;a plurality of first supporting members which support the infrared detectors apart from the substrate, respectively, and which extend from the substrate to respective infrared detectors;a plurality of second supporting members which support the infrared detectors apart from the substrate, respectively, and which extend from the substrate to respective infrared detectors; anda plurality of bases which are fixed to the substrate, and one of which is connected to an end, at the substrate side, of the first supporting member supporting a first one of two adjacent infrared detectors, and to an end, at the substrate side, of the second supporting member supporting a second one of the two adjacent infrared detectors, whereina plurality of wirings extend between each of the infrared detectors and the substrate, andall of the plurality of wirings are provided to the first supporting member which supports the infrared detector.

5. The infrared imaging apparatus according to claim 4, wherein each of the first supporting members is thicker than the second supporting member which supports the infrared detector supported by the first supporting member.

6. The infrared imaging apparatus according to claim 4, wherein each of the infrared detectors includes a diaphragm and a temperature sensor provided to the diaphragm.

7. An infrared imaging apparatus comprising: a plurality of infrared detectors which detect infrared radiation;a substrate in which a processing circuit processing signals outputted by the infrared detectors is formed;a plurality of electrodes provided to the substrate, and connected to the processing circuit;a plurality of first supporting members which extend from one surface of the substrate, which support the infrared detectors as suspended above the surface of the substrate, respectively, and each of which is provided with a plurality of wirings connecting the electrodes and the infrared detector supported by the first supporting member; anda plurality of second supporting members which extend from the surface of the substrate, which support the infrared detectors as suspended above the surface of the substrate, respectively, and from which wiring is absent.

8. The infrared imaging apparatus according to claim 7, wherein each of the infrared detectors includes a diaphragm and a temperature sensor provided to the diaphragm.

9. The infrared imaging apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the thickness of the second supporting member supporting each of the infrared detectors is set on the basis of the degree of deformation in the second supporting member caused by at least one of the weight of the diaphragm included in the infrared detector, and residual stresses in the diaphragm and in the first and second supporting members supporting the infrared detector.

10. The infrared imaging apparatus according to claim 9, wherein as long as deformation in the second supporting member is suppressed, width of the second supporting member is within a range of the width, andwidth of the second supporting member is minimized within the range of the width.

11. The infrared imaging apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of wirings connected to each of the infrared detectors include a first wiring which extends from a predetermined part of the temperature sensor included in the infrared detector, and which is connected to one of the electrodes via the first supporting member supporting the infrared detector, and a second wiring which extends from a different part of the temperature sensor, and which is connected to another of the electrodes via the first supporting member, andat least one of the first and second wirings passes along the periphery of the diaphragm included in the infrared detector so as to pass around the temperature sensor.

12. The infrared imaging apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a plurality of bases are fixed to the substrate, andone of the bases is connected to an end, at the substrate side, of the first supporting member supporting a first one of two adjacent infrared detectors, and to an end, at the substrate side, of the second supporting member supporting a second one of the two adjacent infrared detectors.

13. The infrared imaging apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the plurality of electrodes are disposed in a region of the substrate where the bases are fixed to the substrate.

14. The infrared imaging apparatus according to claim 13, wherein parts, at the electrode side, of the plurality of wirings connected to the first infrared detector are layered on the substrate,layers of the wirings are included in the base,electrodes are disposed underneath the base, andthe layer of an upper wiring is connected to one of the electrodes through a hole formed in the layer of a lower wiring.