17 February 2015

Sofradir demos lighter-weight IR detector for airborne and portable applications

In booth #B3.2 (Hall B) at the AeroIndia 2015 aerospace exhibition in Bangalore, India (18–22 February), Sofradir of Palaiseau near Paris, France, which makes cooled infrared (IR) detectors based on mercury cadmium telluride (MCT/HgCdTe) for military, space and industrial applications, is demonstrating SWap-C LEO, a new-generation VGA-format 640x512 15μm-pixel-pitch IR detector optimized for size, weight, performance and cost (SWaP). The firm says that the new detector meets the challenges of 21st century military platforms that demand the integration of smaller, lighter low-power-consumption devices offering better value for money.

SWap-C LEO is entering commercial production. Orders are in the pipeline, with delivery planned for second-quarter 2015.

Sofradir has cut the size and weight of SWap-C LEO while maintaining its high image resolution and detection range. Measuring 100mm x 70mm x 50mm and weighing 300g, it is 15% smaller and 20% lighter than earlier models in the mid-wave IR category, making it suitable for hand-held thermal imagers (HHTI), gimbals, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and helicopters, where system developers face environments increasingly demanding in size and consumption.

"Improving SWaP features are recurring expectations placed on IR detector manufacturers," says general manager Laurent Fullana. "Sofradir's number-one objective is to offer unsurpassed compactness, weight, power consumption and value for money across our range of IR products and thereby improve the operational efficiency of target and surveillance equipment," he adds. The new VGA SWap-C LEO detector builds on a heritage of proven building blocks, continues Fullana. "We have already received strong interest from developers of airborne systems."

Performance benefits include reduced power consumption due to a focal plane array (FPA) operating at a temperature of 110K within a smaller dewar volume. The product also comes with standard electronics, such as a 14-bit CameraLink output used in defense applications, for easier integration into IR systems.

Tags: Sofradir HgCdTe IR detectors

Visit: www.sofradir.com