A bolometer infrared sensor, comprising: a1) a substrate having an upper surface; a2) a patterned conductive layer (26, 24, 26) on the upper surface of the substrate which forms a reflector structure and readout conductors; b) a fixed beam suspension structure formed of a thin film structure of a first conductive material and suspended predominantly at a first level above the upper surface, the fixed beam suspension structure formed in a tethered beam configuration including a fixed beam and fixed beam supports, the fixed beam supports suspending each side of the fixed beam at the first level above the upper surface and electrically connecting the fixed beam to the readout conductors, wherein the fixed beam supports are anchors defined by anchor holes for the suspension structure, the suspension structure follows the contours of the anchor holes, and the fixed beam supports are electrically connected to the readout conductors at the base of the anchor holes; c) an absorber structure formed of a thin film structure of a second conductive material and suspended predominantly at a second level which is above both the upper surface and the first level, the absorber structure including a pillar support that supports and electrically connects the absorber structure on a central portion of the fixed beam; d) wherein the reflector structure is arranged to reflect infrared radiation that reaches the upper surface of the substrate back up towards the absorber structure; and e1) wherein the pillar support is centered in the absorber structure so that the absorber structure includes two lateral extending portions that extend outwardly from the top of the pillar support; e2) wherein the absorber structure further includes two trench folds extending from the respective extending portion towards the fixed beam of the suspension structure to a length different from the pillar support length to add mechanical stability; and e3) wherein the pillar support is formed by a single central pillar hole and the absorber structure conformally follows the contours of the pillar hole and the trench folds. a1) a substrate having an upper surface; a2) a patterned conductive layer (26, 24, 26) on the upper surface of the substrate which forms a reflector structure and readout conductors; b) a fixed beam suspension structure formed of a thin film structure of a first conductive material and suspended predominantly at a first level above the upper surface, the fixed beam suspension structure formed in a tethered beam configuration including a fixed beam and fixed beam supports, the fixed beam supports suspending each side of the fixed beam at the first level above the upper surface and electrically connecting the fixed beam to the readout conductors, wherein the fixed beam supports are anchors defined by anchor holes for the suspension structure, the suspension structure follows the contours of the anchor holes, and the fixed beam supports are electrically connected to the readout conductors at the base of the anchor holes; c) an absorber structure formed of a thin film structure of a second conductive material and suspended predominantly at a second level which is above both the upper surface and the first level, the absorber structure including a pillar support that supports and electrically connects the absorber structure on a central portion of the fixed beam; d) wherein the reflector structure is arranged to reflect infrared radiation that reaches the upper surface of the substrate back up towards the absorber structure; and e1) wherein the pillar support is centered in the absorber structure so that the absorber structure includes two lateral extending portions that extend outwardly from the top of the pillar support; e2) wherein the absorber structure further includes two trench folds extending from the respective extending portion towards the fixed beam of the suspension structure to a length different from the pillar support length to add mechanical stability; and e3) wherein the pillar support is formed by a single central pillar hole and the absorber structure conformally follows the contours of the pillar hole and the trench folds.