Lecture
This lecture focuses on thermopiles, which are a series of thermocouples used for thermal detection. The instructor explains the basic principles of thermopiles, including their construction and operation. The lecture covers the arrangement of thermocouples, the role of infrared radiation in generating voltage, and the significance of detectivity and noise equivalent power. Various technologies for implementing thermopiles in CMOS processes are discussed, highlighting the materials and configurations used. The instructor also presents thermopile arrays based on semimetal and their performance metrics. The electronic interface for thermopile cameras is explained, detailing how to select rows and columns for pixel measurement. The advantages of thermopile arrays, such as uncooled operation and linearity, are emphasized. The concept of noise equivalent temperature difference (NETD) is introduced, explaining its importance in thermal imaging applications. The lecture concludes with a discussion on the practical applications of thermopiles in thermal cameras and their effectiveness in measuring temperature differences in various scenarios.