Patent ID: 8455828

Claim:
An Infrared (IR) detector comprising: a substrate; a thin film of bundled carbon nanotubes suspended over the substrate and between electrical contacts; first and second conductive contacts in electrical communication with the thin film of bundled nanotubes; a layer of amorphous silicon on the substrate; means for forming a cavity in the amorphous silicon layer to thereby create a gap between the bundled carbon nanotube fabric and the substrate such that the bundled carbon nanotube fabric is suspended above the substrate, thereby fabricating the IR detector; wherein the thin film of bundled carbon nanotubes is tuned to be sensitive to IR radiation in the micron band of 1 to 12 microns and the exposure of IR radiation induces a change in impedance between the first and second conductive terminals which is sensed by CMOS readout circuitry.