55+ Series: IR Components for 5Hz / 5µm

55+ Series | 5Hz / 5 µm IR Components

Thermal infrared emitters are often used together with pyroelectric detectors. This package contains them both:

Our partner Infrasolid provides high-power emitters with near-perfect performance in the lower IR wavelengths range (up to 10 µm) and at slow modulations of 5 Hz. For our bundle, we chose the high-end version with an optimized reflector in a TO-8 package. On request, the emitters are also available in 3x3 mm² SMD packages.

They come with our own differential pyroelectric detectors. Thanks to their innovative differential design, they offer exceptionally low noise matched by a high dynamic range, especially for single channels.

Our 55+ series opens the door to new applications as well as improvements of existing designs. So far, most IR applications cover the 3-5 µm range to detect natural gas and combustion related gases such as CO₂ and CO. However, what happens if humanity really manages to reduce the use of fossil fuels? The infrared community will have to look for new fields of application and make the step to “5+” towards longer wavelengths. This would allow for more detailed characterization of organic compounds or moisture measurement in gases with very little crosstalk.

Our IR Detectors

Panchromatic, photoconductive and thermal detectors

InGaAs PIN Photodiodes

Modern InGaAs PIN photodiodes are panchromatic and convert broadband light to photocurrents in the Vis-NIR range. Concretely speaking, this means a sensitivity range from 500 nm to 1700 nm for regular InGaAs and – in increments – up to 2600 nm for extended InGaAs. Variations for data transmission are not panchromatic.

PbS and PbSe Detectors

PbS is a standard SWIR semiconductor detector (1 - 3.3 µm) whereas PbSe is used in the MWIR range (1 - 4.7 µm when uncooled; up to 5.2 µm when cooled). Our lead salt detectors are photoconductive; the detector resistance is reduced during illumination. The crystal structure is polycrystalline and is produced via chemical deposition.

Pyroelectric IR Detectors

A pyroelectric IR detector is a thermal detector in that it responds to the change in heat (IR) absorbed on its surface. Thermal detectors are polychromatic with a very wide spectral bandwidth.

The nature of the pyroelectric effect is that in a highly-ordered crystal (or ceramic), a temperature change in the element causes its atoms to move slightly out of position. This rearranges its electrical charge, which is measured in the electrodes on its surface.

The pyroelectric effect is found in many materials. The most commonly-used materials are deuterated lanthanum α alanine-doped triglycine sulfate (DLaTGS) and lithium tantalate (LTO).