Far infrared / Terahertz micromechanical imaging-array sensors based on nano-scale optical measurement technology

Abstract

This paper describes a new concept related to the MEMS(Micro Electro Mechanical system) imaging-array sensors with the structure of micro-cantilever-arrays for detecting far IR and THz radiation. The measure principle is based on an improved optical lever and the core component is a set of micro-displacement measuring device with nano-degree displacement measurement. The amplification coefficient of this improved optical cantilever can reach 102~103 times, combined with a high resolving power to 10-10m. Compared with focal plane arrays sensors, these tape sensors have the ability to measure deformations of micro-cantilever-arrays caused by far IR or THz radiation directly, which can increase the radiation detector sensitivity. The validity of this method is proved by practical experiments. Imaging-array sensors, based on this measure principle, can be made into a new-type MEMS Far IR or THz sensors.