Infrared Detector Substrate with Diffractive Window
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional infrared light sensors for gas detection are large, costly to manufacture, and have a high structural volume due to the use of metal TO housings and multiple sensor chips, leading to misinterpretation of sensor responses and high installation costs.
Innovation Solution
The infrared light detector employs a compact design with two substrates, where a second substrate with a window is positioned close to the first substrate to block specific wavelengths of infrared light, using a diffractive optical element and a reflective housing to minimize scattered light and reduce material usage, allowing for high-density sensor chip arrangement and accurate gas detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a metal TO housing is used to seal sensor chips, then the sensor chips are protected from the environment, but the overall structural volume and height increase to 1-2 mm, requiring large substrate dimensions and increasing manufacturing costs
Solution Approach 1:
The housing material is changed from metal to transparent plastic, fundamentally altering the material parameter to achieve both sealing protection and reduced structural volume. The plastic material allows for a much smaller housing height of 0.2-0.5 mm while maintaining environmental protection through integrated sealing elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing is constructed as a composite structure combining transparent plastic material with integrated sealing elements, creating a multi-functional component that provides both protection and light transmission while minimizing volume.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple sensor chips are arranged on a large substrate, then different gas types can be detected simultaneously, but the substrate dimensions and overall device size increase, leading to high material consumption and manufacturing costs
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple sensor chips and their corresponding filters are integrated onto a single compact substrate in a grid arrangement, merging multiple detection functions into one unified device. This allows simultaneous detection of multiple gas types while minimizing the substrate area through efficient spatial arrangement.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor chips are arranged in a grid pattern on the substrate, utilizing two-dimensional spatial arrangement to maximize the number of detection channels within a minimized area, effectively transitioning from linear to planar optimization.
3Volume of stationary object
If the housing height is reduced to minimize device size, then the structural volume decreases, but the distance between filters and sensor chips must be precisely controlled to prevent light scattering and misinterpretation of sensor responses
Solution Approach 1:
The filter and sensor chip are integrated as a single functional unit on the same substrate, eliminating the need for separate mounting and precise spacing between components. This integration automatically ensures proper alignment and distance control while minimizing the overall device height.
Solution Approach 2:
The filters are positioned and fixed on the substrate before the sensor chips are mounted, establishing the correct spatial relationship and distance in advance. This preliminary arrangement ensures that when the housing is closed with height of 0.2-0.5 mm, the optical path is correctly configured without requiring post-assembly adjustments.
4Ease of manufacture
If only one pair of sensor chip and filter is used, then the device complexity and manufacturing cost decrease, but multiple infrared light sensors are required to detect different gas types, increasing installation costs
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple sensor chips with different spectral response characteristics are integrated on a single substrate, each paired with corresponding filters for specific gas detection. This merging of multiple detection functions into one device eliminates the need for multiple separate sensors, reducing both manufacturing complexity and installation costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The single substrate with multiple sensor chips and filters serves as a universal detection platform capable of identifying multiple gas types simultaneously, replacing the need for multiple specialized sensors and simplifying the overall system architecture.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design results in a smaller, more cost-effective infrared light detector with improved spatial density of sensor chips and accurate response, reducing material consumption and manufacturing costs while maintaining high response accuracy.
Implementation Method 1
The window (10) is formed as an infrared light filter, in particular as a diffractive optical element (13)
Implementation Method 2
using a diffractive optical element and a reflective housing to minimize scattered light
Implementation Method 3
a sensor chip (8) with an irradiation surface (9) which can be converted into an electric signal by the sensor chip (8)
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to an infrared light detector that comprises a first substrate (2), which comprises a sensor chip (8) having an irradiation surface (9) that can be irradiated with infrared light which can be converted into an electrical signal by the sensor chip, and a second substrate (3), which comprises a window (10) that is arranged directly adjacent to the irradiation surface and is provided to remove infrared light of a predefined wavelength, wherein the dimensions of the window and the distance (12) thereof to the irradiation surface are dimensioned in such a way that the infrared light allowed through by the window completely hits the sensor chip.