SPEKTIR aims at development, validation and demonstration of a novel uncooled high-performance multi-spectral thermal infrared (TIR) imager for applications in the security/surveillance, high-end thermography and gas detection. Building on the partner’s background IP we will improve the designs for readout integrated circuit (ROIC) from IDEAS, microbolometer arrays from FhG IMS, manufacturing processes at both partners, imaging SW from Neuromedia and integrate these components in the thermal imager & camera core. Outcome will be the novel thermal imager and camera core products, and the process of manufacturing these at low cost and high reliability. The cost efficient manufacture involves 8-inch CMOS wafer-production of the ROIC, MEMS processing of the MBA on the CMOS wafers (FhG IMS) encapsulation on device-level and later wafer-level. The overall concept will reduce production costs, and assure high performance and reliability.
SPEKTIR is a new product based on technologies owned by the partners. We will develop a novel uncooled high-performance multi-spectral thermal infrared imager that will be taken to market both as imager alone and also embedded in a camera core. Currently we find no match in the market.
The novel aspects are spectrally selective bolometers that greatly simplify existing applications (thermography without emissivity correction), also enabling new applications (gas detection).
Nuromedia’s SW embedded in the camera core will support basic data-transport to/from the imager.
Reducing pixel-pitch from 17μm to 12μm of FhG IMS’ microbolometer technology reduce the cost of the imager (smaller area and optics), still retaining VGA resolution. Addition of spectral selectivity is important for thermography (no emissivity correction). Reduction to 12μm pixel-pitch involves changes of the ROICs from IDEAS.
Nuromedia’s new SW embedded in the camera core will gear towards using and supporting the changes on the imager’s HW; namely spectral selectivity and secure data transfer.
The combination is a breakthrough in TIR imaging allowing temperature measurement of object surfaces independent of emissivity and allow gas detection without illumination. Further, the SW combined with the readout HW enables providing high-performance TIR imaging.
