Patent ID: 7667201

Claim:
A pixel comprising: a radiation detection sub-assembly; a first thermally responsive temperature sensing element, wherein the first thermally responsive temperature sensing element includes a first Schottky diode thermally isolated from a composite heat bath stage; a thermal absorber element, wherein the thermal absorber element is co-located with the first thermally responsive temperature sensing element in the radiation detection sub-assembly and in thermal contact with the radiation detection sub-assembly, wherein said radiation detection sub-assembly, said first temperature sensing element, and said thermal absorber element form a composite detector stage; means for AC coupling energy from radiation received from an external source to the composite detector stage, wherein the coupling means generates a signal from the radiation and is coupled to the first thermally responsive temperature sensing element via thermal absorber element and wherein the thermal absorber element receives the generated signal and heats the first thermally responsive temperature sensing element; a heat bath sub-assembly; a second thermally responsive temperature sensing element co-located with and in thermal contact with said heat bath sub-assembly, wherein the second thermally responsive temperature sensing element includes a second Schottky diode, for sensing inside the pixel the temperature of the heat bath sub-assembly, which is electronically connected to the first Schottky diode; a temperature difference signal amplifier co-located with and in thermal contact with said heat bath sub-assembly, wherein said temperature difference signal amplifier is electrically connected to the first Schottky diode and the second Schottky diode, and amplifies a net voltage difference between voltages generated by the first Schottky diode and the second Schottky diode; wherein said heat bath sub-assembly, said second temperature sensing element, and said temperature difference signal amplifier form the composite heat bath stage; and a passive thermal isolation support located between the composite detector stage and the heat bath stage and directly connected to said radiation detection sub-assembly and said heat bath sub-assembly, wherein the passive thermal isolation support thermal conductivity is not actively controlled and the electromagnetic radiation sensor assembly is a two stage sensor assembly wherein the two stages are the composite detector stage and the heat bath stage.