Broadband imager
View Patent ↗A sensor comprises a transducer substrate formed of a photo-acoustically sensitive material and having a receiving surface and an absorptive layer coupled to the transducer substrate receiving surface that detects broadband electromagnetic (EM) radiation.
1. A sensor comprising:
a transducer substrate formed of a photo-acoustically sensitive material and having a receiving surface;
an absorptive layer coupled to the transducer substrate receiving surface that detects broad band electromagnetic (EM) radiation;
a first conductive layer coupling the absorptive layer to the transducer substrate; and
a second conductive layer coupled to the transducer substrate on a surface of the transducer substrate opposing the receiving surface.
2. The sensor according to claim 1 further:
the transducer substrate formed of a piezoelectric material.
3. The sensor according to claim 1 further comprising:
the transducer substrate formed of a capacitive material.
4. The sensor according to claim 1 further comprising:
a high-gain amplifier; and
the second conductive layer coupling the transducer substrate to the high-gain amplifier.
5. The sensor according to claim 1 further comprising:
imaging optics coupled to the transducer substrate configured for photo-acoustic imaging of incident electromagnetic (EM) radiation using spatial sampling, the imaging optics selected from a group consisting of broadband electromagnetic (EM) band-specific refractive lenses, diffractive optics, and broadband reflective mirrors.
6. The sensor according to claim 5 further comprising:
a read-only integrated circuit (ROIC);
a plurality of ROIC connectors coupled to the second conductive layer in an arrangement configured to patterning of the second conductive layer imaging picture elements (pixels); and
a third conductive layer coupling the ROIC connector plurality to the ROIC and patterned into a plurality of imaging picture elements (pixels).
7. The sensor according to claim 6 further comprising:
the transducer substrate patterned into a plurality of imaging picture elements (pixels).
8. The sensor according to claim 5 further comprising:
the transducer substrate patterned into a plurality of imaging picture elements (pixels).
9. The sensor according to claim 5 further comprising:
the second conductive layer patterned into a plurality of imaging picture elements (pixels) in a configuration adapted for imaging incident EM radiation.
10. The sensor according to claim 5 further comprising:
a plurality of patterned electrodes configured to selectively couple to the second conductive layer imaging picture element (pixel) plurality.
11. The sensor according to claim 5 further comprising:
a printed circuit board; and
a plurality of patterned conductive bumps on a first surface of the printed circuit board configured to selectively couple to the second conductive layer imaging picture element (pixel) plurality;
a plurality of electrodes located on a second surface of the printed circuit board opposite the first surface; and
a plurality of conductive patterned vias selectively coupling the conductive bump plurality to the electrode plurality.
12. A sensor comprising:
a transducer substrate formed of a photo-acoustically sensitive material and having a receiving surface;
an absorptive layer coupled to the transducer substrate receiving surface that detects broadband electromagnetic (EM) radiation; and
at least one diaphragm positioned between the transducer substrate and a source of incident electromagnetic (EM) radiation, the at least one diaphragm configured with at least one aperture enabling the incident EM radiation to pass to the transducer substrate; and
a scanner configured for coupling to the at least one diaphragm and spatially scanning incident EM radiation across the transducer substrate.
13. The sensor according to claim 12 further comprising:
two diaphragms each configured with a slit aperture with a dominant axis, the two diaphragms arranged consecutively in a pathway between the transducer substrate and the EM radiation source and having dominant axes arranged substantially perpendicular.
14. The sensor according to claim 12 further comprising:
a diaphragm configured with an iris or pinhole aperture.
15. The sensor according to claim 12 further comprising:
a shutter positioned between the transducer substrate and a source of incident electromagnetic (EM) radiation and configured to controllably block and pass the EM radiation.
16. The sensor according to claim 12 further comprising:
two diaphragms each configured with a slit aperture with a dominant axis, the two diaphragms arranged consecutively in a pathway between the transducer substrate and the EM radiation source and having dominant axes arranged substantially perpendicular; and
the scanner configured to move the two diaphragms mutually independently in scan speed and scan direction.
17. The sensor according to claim 16 further comprising:
the scanner configured to scan the two diaphragms in directions corresponding to the dominant axes.
18. A sensor comprising:
a transducer substrate formed of a photo-acoustically sensitive material and having a receiving surface;
an absorptive layer coupled to the transducer substrate receiving surface that detects broadband electromagnetic (EM) radiation; and
an electromagnetic (EM) radiation filter configured for insertion between the transducer substrate and a source of EM radiation that filters broadband response to a selected narrow band.
19. The sensor according to claim 1 further comprising:
at least one lens inserted between the transducer substrate and a source of electromagnetic (EM) radiation.
20. The sensor according to claim 1 further comprising:
at least one lens inserted between the transducer substrate and a source of electromagnetic (EM) radiation, the at least one lens selected from a group consisting of Fresnel lenses, diffractive optical elements, holographic optical elements, refractive optical elements, and specialty lenses.
21. The sensor according to claim 1 further comprising:
a high-gain amplifier;
the second conductive layer coupling the transducer substrate to the high-gain amplifier; and shielding containing the transducer substrate and grounding the high-gain amplifier.
22. The sensor according to claim 1 further comprising:
a high-gain amplifier;
the second conductive layer coupling the transducer substrate to the high-gain amplifier; and
a housing containing the transducer substrate and grounding the high-gain amplifier.
23. The sensor according to claim 22 further comprising:
an electrical filter coupled to the high-gain amplifier and adapted to filter electrical and acoustic noise within a selected frequency band.
24. The sensor according to claim 1 further comprising:
a housing containing the transducer substrate and formed of a baffled material selected from one or more materials of a group consisting of a sound absorbing material, an electromagnetic (EM) radiation absorbing material, a thermal shielding material.
25. The sensor according to claim 24 further comprising:
a backing material adapted to hold the transducer substrate within the housing and formed of a backing material selected from one or more materials of a group consisting of a sound absorbing material, an electromagnetic (EM) radiation absorbing material, a thermal shielding material.
26. The sensor according to claim 24 further comprising:
a vacuum chamber containing the transducer substrate and adapted to reduce acoustic and thermal noise.
27. The sensor according to claim 24 further comprising:
a vacuum chamber containing the housing and adapted to reduce acoustic and thermal noise.
28. A sensor comprising:
a piezoelectric substrate having a receiving surface;
an absorptive layer coupled to the substrate receiving surface that detects broadband electromagnetic (EM) radiation;
a first conductive layer coupling the absorptive layer to the piezoelectric substrate; and
a second conductive lever coupled to the piezoelectric substrate on a surface of the piezoelectric substrate opposing the receiving surface.
29. The sensor according to claim 28 further comprising:
a read-only integrated circuit (ROIC);
a plurality of ROIC connectors coupled to the second conductive layer in an arrangement configured to patterning of the second conductive layer imaging picture elements (pixels); and
a third conductive layer coupling the ROIC connector plurality to the ROIC and patterned into a plurality of imaging picture elements (pixels).
30. The sensor according to claim 29 further comprising:
the piezoelectric substrate patterned into a plurality of imaging picture elements (pixels).
31. The sensor according to claim 28 further comprising:
the piezoelectric substrate patterned into a plurality of imaging picture elements (pixels).
32. The sensor according to claim 28 further comprising:
a high-gain amplifier;
the second conductive layer coupling the piezoelectric substrate to the high-gain amplifier; and
a metallic housing containing the piezoelectric substrate and grounding the high-gain amplifier.
33. The sensor according to claim 32 further comprising:
acoustic shielding around the piezoelectric substrate within the metallic housing.
34. A sensor comprising:
a transducer substrate formed of a capacitive material and having a receiving surface;
an absorptive layer coupled to the transducer substrate receiving surface that detects broadband electromagnetic (EM) radiation;
a first conductive layer coupling the absorptive layer to the transducer substrate; and
a second conductive lever coupled to the transducer substrate on a surface of the transducer substrate opposing the receiving surface, the second conductive layer patterned into a plurality of imaging picture elements (pixels).
35. The sensor according to claim 34 further comprising:
a read-only integrated circuit (ROIC);
a plurality of ROIC connectors coupled to the second conductive layer in an arrangement configured to patterning of the second conductive layer imaging picture elements (pixels); and
a third conductive layer coupling the ROIC connector plurality to the ROIC and patterned into a plurality of imaging picture elements (pixels).
36. The sensor according to claim 35 further comprising:
the transducer substrate patterned into a plurality of imaging picture elements (pixels).
37. The sensor according to claim 34 further comprising:
the transducer substrate patterned into a plurality of imaging picture elements (pixels).
38. A method of acquiring subsurface structural information comprising:
detecting broadband electromagnetic (EM) radiation incident at a receiving surface of a transducer substrate formed of a photo-acoustically sensitive material and coated by an absorptive layer; and
positioning the transducer substrate relative to a radiating object in a configuration to receive the incident EM radiation.
39. The method according to claim 38 further comprising:
generating electromagnetic (EM) radiation from the radiating object by generation selected from a group consisting of reflecting or scattering radiation from the object using a radiation source, transmitting radiation through the object using a radiation source, and emitting radiation from the object.
40. The method according to claim 38 further comprising:
decomposing the broadband electromagnetic (EM) radiation into narrowband components by decomposition selected from a group consisting of inserting a variable filter between the radiating object and the transducer substrate, inserting a ruled grating between the radiating object and the transducer, inserting a holographic optical element between the radiating object and the transducer substrate, inserting a diffractive optical element between the radiating object and the transducer substrate, irradiating the radiating object using a narrowband EM source, and irradiating the radiating object using a variable band EM source.