Patent ID: 7755049

Claim:
A sensor for sensing electromagnetic radiation comprising: (1) a plate for converting incident radiation into heat, wherein said plate is physically adapted to conduct electricity and to conduct heat; and (2) a support arm for supporting said plate at a height above a substrate, wherein said support arm comprises: (a) a first portion of said support arm forming a first thermal actuator having a first responsivity, wherein a second portion of said support arm disposed between said plate and said first thermal actuator is physically adapted to conduct heat at a first flow rate between said plate and said first thermal actuator; and (b) a third portion of said support arm forming a second thermal actuator having a second responsivity, and a fourth portion of said support arm disposed between said plate and said second thermal actuator is physically adapted to conduct heat at a second flow rate between said substrate and said second thermal actuator; wherein said second responsivity is selected to be equal to the sum of said first responsivity and a nonzero offset responsivity, said first responsivity and said second responsivity being selected such that thermal responses of said first and second thermal actuators do not counteract each other; and wherein said height is a function of said nonzero offset responsivity and a temperature of said substrate; and (3) a temperature controller for tuning a sensitivity of the sensor by utilizing the offset responsivity.