News

18 June 2010

 

Sofradir extends 15µm-pixel-pitch TV-format IR detectors from midwave to longwave

At this week’s Eurosatory 2010 defense industry trade show in Paris, France (14–18 June), Sofradir of Châtenay-Malabry, near Paris, France, which manufactures cooled infrared detectors based on mercury cadmium telluride (MCT/HgCdTe) for military, space and industrial applications, announced commercial availability of its new Scorpio LW 640 x 512 15µm-pixel-pitch compact, low-power-consumption longwave TV-format IR detector. This expands Sofradir’s line of small-pixel-pitch TV-format IR detectors from the mid-wavelength to the long-wavelength range, broadening the performance attributes of its longwave IR product line.

Scorpio LW is designed for long-range surveillance equipment, commander or gunner sights, ground-to-ground missile launchers and other ground-based applications that require higher resolution and sensitivity in the longwave infrared (LWIR) waveband to improve reconnaissance and target identification.

“We now bring three new products to the market each year,” says chairman & CEO Philippe Bensussan. Sofradir launched the first 15µm-pixel-pitch IR detector in 2004. “Today, we continue to push the boundaries of performance in IR detection to bring new possible system architectures to defense and security equipment makers,” claims Bensussan. “Scorpio LW is another important step forward in that direction.”

Scorpio LW offers higher sensitivity (less than 20mK at f/2, 210Hz NETD-noise equivalent temperature difference) than comparable products, it is claimed. This enables long-range equipment, such as commander sights, to extend their detection range, allowing users to identify a target more quickly. It also has the capacity to operate at higher temperatures up to 100K (about –173°C), which is an advantage over the industry-standard 80K operating temperature. Operating at a higher temperature means that cooler input power is reduced, bringing about greater cooler reliability and longer autonomy for battery-operated equipment.

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