Thermal image sensor and electronic device including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12581210-B2
Application number	US-202318210456-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 15, 2023
Priority date	Oct 11, 2022
Publication date	Mar 17, 2026
Grant date	Mar 17, 2026

Abstract

A thermal image sensor includes a substrate; a composite layer including an absorption layer and a sensor array layer provided below the absorption layer, the sensor array layer including a plurality of temperature sensing cells, the composite layer having a pattern formed therein, and the pattern including at least one hole penetrating through the absorption layer; and a support separating the substrate from the composite layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A thermal image sensor comprising:
a substrate; a composite layer comprising an absorption layer and a sensor array layer provided below the absorption layer, the sensor array layer comprising a plurality of temperature sensing cells spaced apart from each other, the composite layer having a pattern formed therein, and the pattern comprising at least one hole penetrating through the absorption layer; and a support separating the substrate from the composite layer, wherein the sensor array layer further comprises an insulating layer around the plurality of temperature sensing cells and filling a region between the plurality of temperature sensing cells, and wherein the at least one hole passes through the insulating layer.

2 . The thermal image sensor of claim 1 , wherein the pattern is configured to increase a thermal resistance of the absorption layer.

3 . The thermal image sensor of claim 1 , wherein the at least one hole comprises a plurality of holes provided at edge regions of the composite layer, and each hole of the plurality of holes has a rectangular cross-section.

4 . The thermal image sensor of claim 1 , wherein the at least one hole comprises a plurality of holes provided at a center of the composite layer, and each hole of the plurality of holes has a square cross-section.

5 . The thermal image sensor of claim 1 , wherein the at least one hole has a cross-sectional shape of a circle, a triangle, a quadrangle, or an ellipse.

6 . The thermal image sensor of claim 1 , wherein the at least one hole comprises a plurality of holes, and
wherein, among the plurality of holes forming the pattern, first intervals between first holes of the plurality of holes in a center portion of the composite layer are greater than second intervals between second holes of the plurality of holes at edge regions of the composite layer.

7 . The thermal image sensor of claim 1 , wherein the absorption layer has a multi-layer structure.

8 . The thermal image sensor of claim 1 , wherein each temperature sensing cell of the plurality of temperature sensing cells comprises a magnetoresistive element.

9 . The thermal image sensor of claim 8 , wherein the magnetoresistive element comprises:
a first magnetic layer; a second magnetic layer on the first magnetic layer; and a tunneling barrier layer between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer.

10 . The thermal image sensor of claim 9 , wherein the first magnetic layer has a fixed magnetization direction, and
wherein the second magnetic layer has a changeable magnetization direction.

11 . The thermal image sensor of claim 8 , wherein the magnetoresistive elements are arranged in series or in parallel.

12 . The thermal image sensor of claim 8 , wherein a width of the magnetoresistive element is from about 10 nanometers to about 100 nanometers.

13 . The thermal image sensor of claim 1 , further comprising a reflective layer provided on the substrate.

14 . The thermal image sensor of claim 1 , further comprising a transmission cap provided on the substrate and covering at least a portion of the composite layer.

15 . The thermal image sensor of claim 14 , wherein the transmission cap is configured to selectively transmit through long-wave infrared rays.

16 . A thermal image sensor comprising:
a plurality of pixels in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, wherein each pixel of the plurality of pixels comprises:
a substrate;
a composite layer comprising an absorption layer and a sensor array layer provided below the absorption layer, the sensor array layer comprising a plurality of temperature sensing cells spaced apart from each other, the composite layer having a pattern formed therein, and the pattern comprising at least one hole penetrating through the absorption layer; and
a support separating the substrate from the composite layer,
wherein the sensor array layer further comprises an insulating layer around the plurality of temperature sensing cells and filling a region between the plurality of temperature sensing cells, and wherein the at least one hole passes through the insulating layer.

17 . The thermal image sensor of claim 16 , wherein the at least one hole comprises a plurality of holes provided at edge regions of the composite layer, and each hole of the plurality of holes has a rectangular cross-section.

18 . An electronic device comprising:
a thermal image sensor; and a processor configured to receive a sensing signal from the thermal image sensor and process the sensing signal, wherein the thermal image sensor comprises:
a substrate;
a composite layer comprising an absorption layer and a sensor array layer provided below the absorption layer, the sensor array layer comprising a plurality of temperature sensing cells spaced apart from each other, the composite layer having a pattern formed therein, and the pattern comprising at least one hole penetrating through the absorption layer; and
a support separating the substrate from the composite layer,
wherein the sensor array layer further comprises an insulating layer around the plurality of temperature sensing cells and filling a region between the plurality of temperature sensing cells, and wherein the at least one hole passes through the insulating layer.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Rhee Choongho
• Song Byonggwon
• You Jangwoo
• Kim Jaekwan
• Kim Jinmyoung
• Seo Wontaek
• Yoon Yongseop
• Lee Byungkyu

Classifications

• G01K7/36 Primary

  using magnetic elements, e.g. magnets, coils (magnetic elements per se H01F) · CPC title

• G01J2005/202

  Arrays · CPC title

• G01J5/48

  Thermography; Techniques using wholly visual means · CPC title

• G01J5/024

  Special manufacturing steps or sacrificial layers or layer structures · CPC title

• G01K7/16

  using resistive elements · CPC title