Disc detector assembly having vacuum chamber

Claim 1

An infrared energy apparatus for receiving infrared energy from a scene of interest, said apparatus having a refrigerator Dewar device, said apparatus comprising: A. said refrigerator device comprising: (i) an upper surface and a lower surface, (ii) means for cooling a first region of said refrigerator device, (iii) a second region which remains substantially at the ambient temperature of said infrared energy apparatus, and (iv) a third region for heat exchange, said third region at an intermediate temperature between that of said first region and said second region; B. a detector assembly having one or more detector elements mounted on said upper surface of said refrigerator device in said first region such that said detector assembly is cooled by operation of said refrigerator device; C. an electrically conductive pattern applied to said upper surface of said refrigerator device, said pattern having electrical leads to enable electrical connection to said detector elements of said detector assembly; D. a vacuum chamber means for thermally insulating said first region and said third region from ambient environments, said vacuum chamber means shaped such that energy entering said receiver from said scene of interest may be collected and measured by said assembly, and wherein said vacuum chamber means is hermetic and comprises an upper vacuum member bonded to the upper surface and a lower vacuum member bonded to the lower surface of said refrigerator device, and means, included in said refrigerator device, for connecting said upper vacuum member to said lower vacuum member; and E. an optically transparent means, coupled to said vacuum chamber means over said first region such that energy of the desired waveband from said scene of interest may be collected and measured by said detector assembly.