Patent ID: 8624187

Claim:
A thermal detector comprising: an absorption surface coupled to a movable anchored surface having at least one thermal isolation leg and at least one anchor wherein the movable anchored surface changes position due to absorption by the absorption surface; at least one light source; and an optical measuring system to measure the movable anchored surface changes using the at least one light source wherein the optical measuring system comprises at least one detector and an interferometer comprising a reflector surface and at least one diffraction grating forming a gap between the reflector surface and the at least one diffraction grating wherein the movable anchored surface changes position due to absorption by the absorption surface and the movable anchored surface is coupled to the interferometer to make the gap variable wherein the at least one detector detects variations in the gap to produce a detector signal and wherein the reflector surface changes position, with a piston motion, parallel to the at least one diffraction grating.