Advances in the application of Quantum Cascade Lasers (QCL) to trace gas detection will be presented. The
solution is real time (~1 μsec per scan), is insensitive to turbulence and vibration, and performs multiple
measurements in one sweep. The QCL provides a large dynamic range, which is a linear response from ppt to
% level. The concentration can be derived with excellent immunity from cross interference. Point sensing
sensors developed by Cascade for home made and commercial explosives operate by monitoring key
constituents in real time and matching this to a spatial event (i.e. sniffer device placed close to an object or
person walking through portal (overt or covert). Programmable signature detection capability allows for
detection of multiple chemical compounds along the most likely array of explosive chemical formulation.
The advantages of configuration as "point sensing" or "stand off" will be discussed. In addition to explosives
this method is highly applicable to the detection of mobile drugs labs through volatile chemical release.
L-3 Communications InfraredVision Technology Corporation (ITC) has developed a high performance (25μm) 640x480 microbolometer Uncooled Focal Plane Array (UFPA). ITC offers this high-performance VOx microbolometer-based detector (ITC-2000) to camera manufacturers requiring a state-of-the-art uncooled infrared detector. The ITC-2000 has ten bits of on-chip NonUniformity Correction (NUC) to extend both dynamic range and sensitivity. A serial interface allows programmable gain and global offset to tailor output to the application. The sensor is capable of frame rates up to 30 Hz, non-interlaced. The output is differential to reject common-mode noise. Two temperature sensors are available on chip for monitoring temperature drift. A thermal electric stabilizer is provided in the detector package, if the camera manufacturer requires temperature stabilization. The lightweight package provides a mounting bracket capable of precision alignment to the focal plane array. The addition of the ITC-2000 large-format detector complements ITC's existing ITC-1000 series detector module that addresses both imaging and radiometric commercial-camera applications.
InfraredVision Technology Corporation ("ITC") has improved the performance of the 320x240 microbolometer Uncooled Focal Plane Array ("UFPA") by increasing the pixel fill-factor. This allows state-of-the-art performance for applications requiring high sensitivity. Measurements taken on microbolometer test structures and detector arrays show a factor of two improvements in the responsivity over that previously reported for our standard 37.5-um pixel UFPA. Performance results for microbolometer pixels ranging in size from 50um down to 15um are presented. Our ITC-1000 series detector product addresses both imaging and radiometric commercial-camera applications. With the development of a high fill-factor pixel design, ITC will soon provide a high-performance VOx microbolometer-based sensor to camera manufacturers requiring state-of-the-art detector performance. FPA performance is presented to demonstrate the sensor improvements accomplished. The use of our on-chip NonUniformity Correction (NUC) feature, available on the ITC-1000 detector, is characterized to demonstrate the performance limitations.
InfraredVision Technology Corporation (“ITC”) has developed a low-cost Uncooled Focal Plane Array (“UFPA”) for commercial applications. The ITC-1000 series detector module has been targeted for both imaging and radiometric camera applications. The 320x240 VOx microbolometer-based sensor exploits a 37.5-μm pixel structure to provide potential cost reduction for the camera manufacturers. The CMOS Readout Integrated Circuit (“ROIC”) design offers on-chip nonuniformity correction capability and gain control. As an additional feature, the design allows non-temperature stabilized operation. The integration time can be varied for applications where large variations in infrared radiation must be accommodated. Vacuum packaging of the sensors is accomplished using low-cost metal design. A radiometric version of this detector, the ITC-1100, has also been developed for thermographic applications.
Access to the requested content is limited to institutions that have purchased or subscribe to SPIE eBooks.
You are receiving this notice because your organization may not have SPIE eBooks access.*
*Shibboleth/Open Athens users─please
sign in
to access your institution's subscriptions.
To obtain this item, you may purchase the complete book in print or electronic format on
SPIE.org.
INSTITUTIONAL Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.
PERSONAL Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.