The Use of Thermal Detectors in Infrared Imaging Systems

Thermal picture taken with pyroelectric vidicon similar to P8092 (Fig. 3.13) usings RankIRTAL31ens 

Spatial resolution due to thermal spread. Other two dimensional thermal sensors which have been considered include liquid crystals Ennulat and Fergason [3.72]), infrared sensitive phosphors (Urbach et al. [3.73]) and bolometric layers mounted in a camera tube to utilize electron beam readout. All these devices suffer primarily from poor spatial resolution, although their sensitivity was also rather low. 

The most promising thermal imaging system is that using the pyroelectric vidicon. The present development stems from the work of Hadni et al. [3.74,75]. 

The ultimate in thermal imaging systems will no doubt be some completely solid state system Barbe [3.80]). It is not clear whether pyroelectric Steckl et al. [3.81]) or other thermal sensors can be employed in this, but the possibility has the attraction of appearing to be the only one which does not require any cooling below normal ambient temperatures. 

Harris, R. I. Gamow Proc. of the 9th Annual Rocky Mountain Bioengineering Symposium and the 10th International ISA Biomedical Science Instrumentation Symposium, Omaha Neb. USA 1-3 May 1972 (ISA BM 72336) 9, 187-190 (1972) 

Chasmar The Detection and Measurement of Infra-Red Radiation, 2nd Ed. (Oxford University Press, London 1968) 

Putley Semiconductors and Semimetals, ed. by R.K.Willardson and A.C.Beer, Vol. 12 (Academic Press, New York 1977) in press 

---