FLIR Systems, Inc.
LOW COST AND HIGH PERFORMANCE BOLOMETER CIRCUITY AND METHODS

Abstract:

A bolometer circuit includes a substrate on which a focal plane array (FPA) of active bolometers is provided. Each active bolometer is configured to receive external infrared (IR) radiation and substantially thermally isolated from the substrate. The bolometer circuit also includes one or more blind arrays of blind bolometers shielded from the external IR radiation and substantially thermally isolated from the substrate. Noises in outputs from each column and/or each row of the FPA are corrected, reduced, or suppressed based on a statistical property of outputs from a corresponding column or row of the one or more blind arrays. Noise in each frame of IR image captured by the FPA may also be corrected, reduced, or suppressed using the one or more blind arrays.