Patent ID: 7309865

Claim:
An electronic device comprising a substrate and a plurality of infrared sensing elements, which are arranged on the substrate, wherein each of the infrared sensing elements includes: a cavity wall portion, which is provided on the substrate to form a closed cavity with a reduced pressure; a gettering thin film, which is arranged in the closed cavity and has the function of adsorbing a surrounding substance; and an activating portion, at least a part of which is arranged in the closed cavity and which has the function of activating the gettering thin film by generating heat and the function of sensing a temperature inside the closed cavity, the activating portion being a PN junction diode, and wherein the electronic device further includes a control section for detecting degrees of vacuum in respective closed cavities based on the temperatures sensed and for activating the gettering thin film selectively in some or all of the closed cavities based on the degrees of vacuum detected.