A novel infrared detector using nonlinear vibration for high sensitivity

A novel infrared detector that uses nonlinear oscillator is fabricated for achieving high sensitivity. Transducer of the infrared detection is a torsional oscillator consisted of bi-materials. When the incident infrared is absorbed by the torsional oscillator, the oscillator is bended due to the differences in thermal expansions. The bending hardens the spring constant of torsional oscillator to increase the resonant frequency. This is quite different from the conventional vibrational detector that bases on the decrease in the resonant frequency by the increase in the mass of oscillator.