50 µm x50 µm thermally insulated silicon nitride membrane
Each bolometer element consists of a 50 µm x50 µm thermally insulated silicon nitride membrane connected to the silicon substrate via two narrow legs. The temperature is measured as a change of the resistance of a platinum resistor placed on the membrane. To absorb radiation, a thin metal film as well as an interferometric structure has been used. The "free-standing" membrane is created using sacrificial etching of polymide bla bla bla ...

These arrays are also made with Mercury cadium telluride (Hg-Cd-Te) which operates in the 8 - 14 micrometers range of the thermal region