MEMS bimaterial IR sensor array with AC-coupled optical readout

Abstract

This paper demonstrates a 35-μm pixel pitch MEMS thermal sensor array with optical-readout. We implemented an AC-coupled readout method for a single MEMS pixel using a photodetector, which responds only to changes in the scene. AC-coupled readout substantially reduced the optical noise by eliminating the large DC beam. This method can be scaled to achieve smart pixel cameras for read sensor arrays with low-noise and high dynamic range.