Small Detector Array For Infrared Imaging Microscope

Abstract

An infrared imaging microscope, particularly of the type used to carry out FT-IR measurement, has a detector in the form of a small detector array of individual detector elements. The outputs of the detector elements are fed in parallel to processing means which process the output signals. The use of a small array means that the outputs can be processed without the need for complex multiplexing or perhaps no multiplexing at all thus avoiding the reduction in signal to noise ratio which is associated with large scale multiplexing. The small detector array will generally have between 3 and 100 detector elements. Typically the upper limit will be 64 and a preferred arrangement has 16 detector elements.

1 . A detector array for use in a IR microscope, said detector array comprising a plurality of individual detector elements, each corresponding to a pixel, which are disposed in spaced relationship, the centre to centre spacing of adjacent elements being substantially equal to or a multiple of the pixel pitch
 said array of detectors comprising from approximately 3 to 100 individual detector elements.   
   
   
       2 . A detector according to  claim 1 , wherein the detector elements are arranged in a linear array. 
   
   
       3 . A detector according to  claim 2 , wherein the detector elements of the linear array are spaced apart. 
   
   
       4 . A detector array according to  claim 1 , wherein the detector elements are arranged in a plurality of rows. 
   
   
       5 . A detector array according to  claim 4 , wherein the detector elements in each row are spaced apart, and the rows are spaced apart. 
   
   
       6 . A detector array according to  claim 5 , wherein the detector elements in each row are offset relative to those in a next adjacent row. 
   
   
       7 . A detector array according to  claim 1 , wherein the detector elements are arranged such that the center of each element is located at a position corresponding to a point on a regular grid. 
   
   
       8 . A detector array according to  claim 7 , wherein the grid pattern is square or rectangular. 
   
   
       9 . A detector array according to  claim 7 , wherein the spacing between the centers of the elements in each row corresponds to a multiple of the spacing of the points of the grid. 
   
   
       10 . A detector array according to  claim 6 , wherein the offset in detector element position in adjacent rows corresponds to the spacing of the grid or a multiple of that spacing. 
   
   
       11 . A detector array according to  claim 7 , wherein the dimensions of each detector element are substantially equal to the spacing of the points of the grid.