Safety
IR detectors are used for many security systems. They react to thermal radiation and can therefore also be used to detect heat, for example.
Temperature Measurement
non-contact measurements
Temperature is often defined as the measure of heat. Most of the light from a hot source is emitted in the infrared (IR). This makes typical vision solutions that use visible light ineffective. IR detectors are able to measure the temperature of a target without needed physical contact.
With a variety of detectors, it is important to consider the type of environment or equipment that may need to be monitored. In healthcare applications it might be beneficial to have a lower power detector so that it can be used in portable devices that can handheld, making them useful to an individual nurse or doctor.
For commercial applications, like HVAC, air conditioning, and insulation inspection, also benefit from mobile operation, they can require a different wavelength range depending on the equipment being inspected.
While preventing accidents in industrial settings can be a different challenge, monitoring machines for temperature fluctuations or even spot gas leaks through ambient temperature changes, setting up IR detectors within a factory can prevent damage to valuable machinery, or even save a life by alerting operators to a malfunction.
Lead salt detectors, InAs photodiodes and InGaAs PIN photodiodes are mainly used for temperature measurement, as are thermopiles.
Flame and Spark Detection
Beyond Borders
A fire can start small but quickly get out of control. Without proper safety instruments a single spark can jeopardize the welfare of an entire building full of people.
Taking note of the fact that all fires have certain characteristics (e.g. smoke, heat, or optical radiation of different intensity), it is possible to set up measures in place to monitor and update anyone who might be at risk. If organic material burns, it has a characteristically high radiation level of approximately 4.3 µm. As a result, the source of the radiation is CO2 gas that gets hot from the combustion of a material like wood.
IR detectors are ideal for measuring radiation due to the high transmission through fog, glass, and smoke, unlike ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The ease of detection has proliferated through the flame detection industry with the wide adoption of IR detectors. Furthermore, standardized systems for classification have been developed such as DIN EN54-10, that is dependent on the range. The most common detectors are pyroelectric, lead salt (such as PbSe), and thermopiles.
In workplaces with explosive dust floating in the air, such as a wood processing facility, spark detection becomes a big concern as well. Quantum detectors are ideal for these applications, including PbS and extended InGaAs.
Areas of Use
What can be measured
Safety is a constant concern for any manufacturer. Therefore, whether it be using a laser to trigger a measurement to prevent any mistakes from getting unnoticed, or by using detectors to measure the heat of an object, each solution developed helps save lives. From commercial goods to industrial solutions, each industry can benefit from some added degree of oversight through safety technology. Some of the typical applications that uses these methods includes:
- Automotive
- Robotics
- Fire Alarms
- Lumbar Processing
- Grain Processing
- Cement Production
- Fire Fighters
- Construction
- Machine Vision
Hot Axle box Detectors
Every second counts when it comes to measuring the temperature of a train’s wheels.
So-called »hot axle box detectors« determine on a moving train whether the wheels, wheel bearings, or brakes have heated up and pose a danger to passengers. The trains are often traveling at speeds of 300 km/h and more. The detectors have to distinguish cold from hot parts in just 72 µs. Only PbX technology can perform these types of measurements in such a short amount of time with the necessary sensitivity.
Product Selection
Beyond Borders
IR photodiodes with an emphasis on quantum efficiency: LASER COMPONENTS develops and manufactures photodiodes in the spectral range of up to 2600 nm.
The IA35 series photodiodes based on heterostructures were specially designed for operation at room temperature.
PbS Detectors detect infrared radiation in the wavelength range between 1 µm and 3.3 µm.
Polycrystalline lead selenide (PbSe) is a standard semiconductor detector with a sensitivity of between 1 µm and 5.2 µm.
Pyroelectric crystals generate positive and negative charge carriers simultaneously on opposing sides. The LD21xx series is the first series in which both crystal sides are amplified separately.
Advanced single channel voltage mode detectors for FTIR instruments.
The best D* in thermopiles is achieved with this arrangement.
Contact us if you have any questions
LASER COMPONENTS Germany - Your competent partner for optical and optoelectronic components in Germany.
Welcome to LASER COMPONENTS Germany GmbH, your expert for photonics components. Each product in our wide range of detectors, laser diodes, laser modules, optics, fiber optics, and more is worth every Euro (€/EUR). Our customized solutions cover all conceivable areas of application: from sensor technology to medical technology. You can reach us here:
Werner-von-Siemens-Str. 15
82140 Olching
Deutschland
Phone: +49 8142 2864-0
Email: info(at)
