Patent ID: 8559113

Claim:
An array of multi-spectral filter elements comprising a plurality of multi-spectral filter elements each adapted to respond to electromagnetic radiation within a plurality of spectral bands, each of the plurality of multi-spectral filter elements comprising: an optical cavity layer that is a solid dielectric layer, a first sub-filter element adapted to respond to electromagnetic radiation within a first one of the plurality of spectral bands, the first sub-filter element comprising a first optical cavity formed in the optical cavity layer and having an average thickness of approximately X; a second sub-filter element adapted to respond to electromagnetic radiation within a second one of the plurality of spectral bands, the second sub-filter element comprising a second optical cavity formed in the optical cavity layer and having an average thickness of approximately X−Y; a third sub-filter element adapted to respond to electromagnetic radiation within a third one of the plurality of spectral bands, the third sub-filter element comprising a third optical cavity formed in the optical cavity layer and having an average thickness of approximately X−Z; and a fourth sub-filter element adapted to respond to electromagnetic radiation within a fourth one of the plurality of spectral bands, the fourth sub-filter element comprising a fourth optical cavity formed in the optical cavity layer and having an average thickness of approximately X−(Y+Z); wherein the first, second, third, and fourth ones of the plurality of spectral bands are at least partially discrete with respect to each other, and each comprise respective spectral wavelength ranges between 1 and 30 micrometers; wherein Y and Z are non-zero values of linear dimension, both being less than X, and wherein Y+Z is less than X; and wherein the first, second, third, and fourth sub-filter elements are disposed adjacent one another, and the optical cavity layer provides one continuously joined base for all of the first, second, third, and fourth sub-filter elements.