Microbolometer - definition
Microbolometer - definition
A Microbolometer is a type of infrared detector used for the non-contact measurement of temperature by recording the heat emitted by objects in the mid- and far-infrared range (typically 8 to 14 µm). It is a non-cooled sensor whose operation is based on the change in resistance of a thin-film material that absorbs thermal radiation, as a result of the temperature increase caused by absorption of the radiation energy.
The structure of the microbolometer consists of a microscopic detector suspended above the substrate in such a way that it is isolated thermally, allowing even very small temperature changes to be detected. The materials used to construct the active elements are usually vanadium oxide (VOx) or amorphous silicon (a-Si), which have high temperature sensitivity. The change in resistance of the sensing element is then converted into an electrical signal and interpreted as a value corresponding to the temperature of the object.
Microbolometers are used in the form of pixel arrays in Infrared Cameras, enabling real-time thermal imaging without the need to cool sensing elements to cryogenic temperatures. This makes them cheaper, more compact and more energy efficient compared to cooled detectors. Their technical parameters, such as NETD (Noise Equivalent Temperature Difference), spatial resolution, readout speed and temperature stability, determine the quality of the thermal image.
Microbolometer technology is used in many fields, including industrial diagnostics, building Automation, security systems, medical thermography, military and automotive (night vision support systems). With the development of microelectronics and electromechanical microsystems (MEMS), microbolometers are becoming more advanced, allowing integration with signal processing systems and intelligent image analysis algorithms.
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