Research Directory of the Brandenburg University of Applied Sciences

Fachhochschule Brandenburg
Brandenburg University of Applied Sciences
Microscopic and High-speed Thermal Imaging:
a Powerful Tool in Physics R&D
Prof. Dr. Klaus-Peter Möllmann, Dr. Frank Pinno,
Prof. Dr. Michael Vollmer
Inframation 2009 Conference, October 19-22, Las Vegas (USA)
Conference Proceedings Inframation 2009, Vol 10, p.303-317
Abstract
In the past investigation of systems characterized by
small dimensions in the μm-range and short time constants
in the ms-range could only be studied by imaging
devices operating in the visible spectral range.
Today high-end thermal imaging cameras as the FLIR
SC 6000 with frame rates up to several ten kHz, temperature
resolutions better than 20 mK and spatial resolutions
better than 10 μm using high quality infrared
optics are available. Therefore such cameras offer the
possibility to extend the IR imaging investigations of
MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems). High spatial
resolution of temperature distributions and analysis
of transient thermal processes in respective experimental
and technological systems represent a powerful
R&D tool. The paper will demonstrate the improved
characterization of fast energy transfer processes producing
or consuming thermal energy in physics
Fig. 3.12: Experimental setup for microscopic thermal imaging
using an optical table.
systems. In particular microscopic and high-speed
thermal imaging is used for a detailed characterization
and optimization of micro IR emitters and IR thermal
detectors.
Introduction
As reported at the Inframation conference 2004 thermography
can play an important role for the thermal
characterization of different microsystems to support
research and development work and to control the
system operation without modifying the system performance
[1]. Since then infrared detector as well as thermocamera
performance has improved appreciably.
High-end camera systems as the FLIR SC 6000 equipped
with cooled InSb focal plane arrays are now commercially
available. The improved camera performance
allows the characterization of processes with very
short time constants in the μs to ms region. Furthermore
the possibility to utilize a microscope objective
allows spatial resolutions in the μm range.
Within this paper the time and the spatial resolution as
the most important measurement parameters for highspeed
and microscopic thermal imaging will be discussed.
Practical applications described in the present
work will concentrate on the characterization of miniaturized
emitters and detectors for the infrared spectral
region. As a matter of fact application of thermal imaging
to these objects can give important insights which
help to improve and develop such devices.
All high-speed and microscopic experiments described
here were performed with an extended wavelength
range SC6000 camera (sensitivity spectral range 1.5 - 5
μm). Fig. 3.12 depicts the experimental setup. The
SC6000 as well as the investigated samples were
80 Forschungsbericht Research Report 2007 – 2010