Apparatus for and method of providing long integration times in an IR detector

Claim 1

A device comprising: first means, arranged to receive a flux of photons, for generating a first current signal in response to said flux of photons; second means, responsive to said first current signal, for generating a first voltage signal in response to said first current signal, said second means including a switched capacitor low pass filter.

Claim 2

A device comprising: first means, arranged to receive a flux of photons, for generating a first current signal in response to said flux of photons; second means, responsive to said first current signal, for generating a first voltage signal in response to said first current signal, said second means including a switched capacitor low pass filter.

Claim 7

A device comprising: first means, including a quantum well infrared photoconducting detector arranged to receive a photon flux, for generating a current signal having a magnitude indicative of an intensity of said photon flux; and means arranged to be charged by said current signal for generating a voltage signal as a result of being charged, said voltage signal having a magnitude indicative of said magnitude of said current signal, said means including a switched capacitor low pass filter.

Claim 8

A device comprising: first means, including a quantum well infrared photoconducting detector arranged to receive a photon flux, for generating a current signal having a magnitude indicative of an intensity of said photon flux; and means arranged to be charged by said current signal for generating a voltage signal as a result of being charged, said voltage signal having a magnitude indicative of said magnitude of said current signal, said means including a switched capacitor low pass filter.

Claim 9

A device comprising: first means, including a quantum well infrared photoconducting detector arranged to receive a photon flux, for generating a current signal having a magnitude indicative of an intensity of said photon flux; a first capacitive structure which is charged by said current signal; a second capacitive structure; a first transistor switch having a first conduction interval, said first transistor switch being arranged between said first capacitive structure and said second capacitive structure to transfer a charge accumulated by said first capacitive structure to said second capacitive structure; a third capacitive structure; and a second transistor switch having a second conduction interval having no substantial overlap with said first conduction interval, said second transistor switch being arranged between said second capacitive structure and said third capacitive structure to transfer a charge accumulated by said second capacitive structure to said third capacitive structure.

Claim 10

A device comprising: first means, including a quantum well infrared photoconducting detector arranged to receive a photon flux, for generating a current signal having a magnitude indicative of an intensity of said photon flux; a first capacitive structure which is charged by said current signal; a second capacitive structure; a first transistor switch having a first conduction interval, said first transistor switch being arranged between said first capacitive structure and said second capacitive structure to transfer a charge accumulated by said first capacitive structure to said second capacitive structure; a third capacitive structure; and a second transistor switch having a second conduction interval having no substantial overlap with said first conduction interval, said second transistor switch being arranged between said second capacitive structure and said third capacitive structure to transfer a charge accumulated by said second capacitive structure to said third capacitive structure.

Claim 11

A device comprising: first means, including a quantum well infrared photoconducting detector arranged to receive a photon flux, for generating a current signal having a magnitude indicative of an intensity of said photon flux, said first means also including buffering means connected to said quantum well infrared photoconducting detector for maintaining a substantially constant voltage across said quantum well infrared photoconducting detector; a first charge well transistor having a gate connected to said buffering means, said gate forming a first capacitive structure which is charged by said current signal; a second charge well transistor; a first transistor switch having a first conduction interval, said first transistor switch being arranged between said gate of said first charge well transistor and a gate of said second charge well transistor to transfer a charge accumulated by said first capacitive structure to a second capacitive structure formed by said second charge well transistor; a third charge well transistor; and a second transistor switch having a second conduction interval having no substantial overlap with said first conduction interval, said second transistor switch being arranged between said gate of said second charge well transistor and a gate of said third charge well transistor to transfer a charge accumulated by said second capacitive structure to a third capacitive structure formed by said third charge well transistor.

Claim 12

A device comprising: first means, including a quantum well infrared photoconducting detector arranged to receive a photon flux, for generating a current signal having a magnitude indicative of an intensity of said photon flux, said first means also including buffering means connected to said quantum well infrared photoconducting detector for maintaining a substantially constant voltage across said quantum well infrared photoconducting detector; a first charge well transistor having a gate connected to said buffering means, said gate forming a first capacitive structure which is charged by said current signal; a second charge well transistor; a first transistor switch having a first conduction interval, said first transistor switch being arranged between said gate of said first charge well transistor and a gate of said second charge well transistor to transfer a charge accumulated by said first capacitive structure to a second capacitive structure formed by said second charge well transistor; a third charge well transistor; and a second transistor switch having a second conduction interval having no substantial overlap with said first conduction interval, said second transistor switch being arranged between said gate of said second charge well transistor and a gate of said third charge well transistor to transfer a charge accumulated by said second capacitive structure to a third capacitive structure formed by said third charge well transistor.

Claim 13

A method comprising the steps of: generating a first current signal in response to a flux of photons; generating a first voltage signal in response to said first current signal using a switched capacitor low pass filter.

Claim 14

A method comprising the steps of: generating a first current signal in response to a flux of photons; generating a first voltage signal in response to said first current signal using a switched capacitor low pass filter.

Claim 15

A method comprising the steps of: generating a current signal having a magnitude indicative of an intensity of a photon flux using a quantum well infrared photoconducting detector arranged to receive said photon flux; and generating a voltage signal as a result of charging by said current signal, said voltage signal having a magnitude indicative of said magnitude of said current signal, using a switched capacitor low pass filter.

Claim 16

A method comprising the steps of: generating a current signal having a magnitude indicative of an intensity of a photon flux using a quantum well infrared photoconducting detector arranged to receive said photon flux; and generating a voltage signal as a result of charging by said current signal, said voltage signal having a magnitude indicative of said magnitude of said current signal, using a switched capacitor low pass filter.