An infrared detector and imaging system responsive to the scanned image from an objective lens and scanner system, the infrared detector and imaging system comprising: a detector substrate; a sparsely populated staggered detector array formed on the detector substrate, the detector substrate having a focal plane surface receiving the scanned image from the objective lens and scanner system. A clock means provides clock signals. A control signal means is responsive to the clock signal for providing a sequence of predetermined scanner position signals. A servo responsive to each scanner position signal commands the scanner means to locate the scanned image at predetermined positions on the focal plane. A detector signal integration means receives and integrates an array of detector signals from the sparsely populated detector array. A sampling means samples the amplitudes of each integrated signal from each image and digitizes each integrated signal amplitude to provide an array of digitized integrated detector signal values for each successive scanned image. A digital memory means stores each successive array of digitized integrated detector signal values in corresponding image position memory locations.

An improved ferroelectric imaging system comprises a chopper, lens system, ferroelectric detector matrix, switching matrix, drive and readout electronics, video processor and display. The chopper interrupts infrared energy emanating from a scene, and the lens system focuses the chopped infrared energy on the ferroelectric detector matrix which produces electrical signals representative of the impinging infrared energy. The signals are read out by the drive and read out electronics whose action is synchronized with the chopper action, processed in the video processor and displayed by the display. The ferroelectric matrix comprises a plurality of detector capacitor elements fabricated by forming a metal surface on the upper surface of a dielectric of ferroelectric material and a plurality of metal pads arranged in rows and columns on its lower surface. Said metal plate forming the upper plates for the capacitors and the metal pads forming the lower plates. The upper plate is connected to busbars for biasing. The switching matrix includes a plurality of solid state switches arranged in rows and columns. The switches have elements operatively connected to the lower plates of the detector capacitor elements, a sense line for each row, and x and y address lines of the drive and readout electronics. The drive and readout electronics action is synchronized with the chopper action to provide the sense line with a signal representative of the infrared energy impinging sequentially on each detector capacitor element for processing and display.

A detector array assembly which provides for the closing at operating temperature of normally open contacts between individual sensor contact mesas and readout pads of the respective detector and readout chips comprising a detector array assembly. One or more shape memory separator elements are used in conjunction with one or more biasing springs to control the spacing of the contacts. The force of the biasing spring becomes the dominant force as the apparatus is cooled down to near operating temperature, thus moving the chips closer together and establishing reliable electrical connection between the opposed sets of contacts. At temperatures near and above the normal operating temperature of 77 degrees K., the shape memory separator element provides the dominant force and drives the chips apart to open the contacts.

A hybrid infrared ray detector includes a first semiconductor substrate which has a first thickness and a first elastic coefficient. A buffer layer is provided on the first semiconductor substrate which is made of a first compound semiconductor having a second elastic coefficient larger than the first elastic coefficient and which has a second thickness smaller than the first thickness. An epitaxial layer is provided on the buffer layer. The epitaxial layer is made of a second compound semiconductor having a third elastic coefficient smaller than the second elastic coefficient and larger than the first elastic coefficient and which has a third thickness which is almost the same as the second thickness. Two-dimensional arrays of photodiodes are provided on a surface of the epitaxial layer. First bumps are provided on the photodiodes. Second bumps are provided on the surface of the epitaxial layer. The second bumps are positioned outside the two-dimensional arrays of the photodiodes. A second semiconductor substrate is provided which has integrated circuits, and third bumps positioned to correspond to the first bumps and fourth bumps positioned to correspond to the second bumps. The second semiconductor substrate is bonded via the first to the fourth bumps to the epitaxial layer. The second semiconductor substrate has a fourth thickness which is almost the same as the first thickness, and a fourth elastic coefficient which is almost the same as the first elastic coefficient. The first to fourth thickness and the first to fourth elastic coefficients are determined that a thermal stress caused by cooling the hybrid infrared ray detector is concentrated within the buffer layer.

A shield for limiting the radiation received by electromagnetic energy radiation detectors to the radiation provided to the detectors by the optics of an electromagnetic energy detection system. The shield comprises a member transparent to a predetermined spectrum of radiation. An opaque thin film is deposited on a surface of the member, the thin film having apertures defined therein, the detectors viewing the optics through the member and the apertures. The thin film shields the detectors from electromagnetic radiation generated outside the field of view of the optics, thereby improving the sensitivity of the detection system. Virtually any desired thickness for the member may be used, thus allowing very close placement of the shield to the detectors and permitting use of very high density arrays.