January 2006

A New Honeywell License

Honeywell is continuing its bid to license a broad swath of uncooled microbolometer technologies. In the latest agreement, L-3 Communications has reached a license agreement for the amorphous silicon microbolometers being made by its L-3 Infrared Products unit (formerly Raytheon Commercial Infrared).

ULIS Large FPA Goes into Production

ULIS has moved it’s large format (640 x 480 with 25 µm pixels) amorphous silicon uncooled microbolometers into production. The chip is based on a single-level microbridge, thus avoiding the complexity and expense of dual-level designs.

Bell Labs and Isonics Partner

Lucent Technologies Bell Labs and Isonics Corp. are partnering to develop a “next-generation” infrared imaging and night surveillance technology. The intent is to develop a high-performance, low-cost uncooled focal plane array based on MEMS (micro electro-mechanical systems) technology.

IRCAM Introduces New Product

IRCAM GmbH, the new company founded in May 2005, by former managers of Thermosensorik GmbH has introduced a new dual-band QWIP camera. The GEMINIS 110k ML makes use of a dual-band 384 x 288 QWIP FPA made by AIM Infrarot-Module.

Uncooled B-kit in Phase II

The U.S. Army’s effort to develop standard interchangeable imaging modules based on uncooled VOx microbolometers went into Phase II with the awarding of contracts to BAE Systems Infrared Imaging Systems, DRS Infrared Technologies and Raytheon Vision Systems in September 2005. Under Phase II of the Uncooled B-Kit (UBK) program, the emphasis is on 640 x 480 pixel imaging modules.

ARL and BAE Systems Team on T2SL FPAs

Researchers from the Army Research Laboratory, ARL are teaming with BAE Systems under the Advanced Sensor Collaborative Technology Alliance (CTA) program to make mid-wave Type II Superlattice (T2SL) focal plane arrays. The semiconductor layers (InAs on a GaSb substrate) were grown by ARL and the FPA processing and hybridization to an Indigo ISC9809 read-out IC (ROIC) were carried out at BAE Systems.

First Infrared Special Comprehensive License

The first “Special Comprehensive License” (SCL) for exporting thermal imaging cameras has been granted by the U.S. Department of Commerce. The four-year license is for shipments of predictive maintenance cameras based on 160 x 120 pixel uncooled microbolometers to European Union countries.

Thales Sells High Technology Optics Business

Thales has completed the sale of its High Technology Optics (HTO) units in the UK, Singapore, Germany and Hungary for 220 million euros (in cash) to Candover Investments.

The HTO units design and manufacture high precision optical modules and components mainly for military applications, but also for commercial uses.

Extreme CCTV and Obzerv Cancel Second Investment

Extreme CCTV has declined to make a second investment of $3 million in Obzerv Technologies Ltd. However, the two companies continue to work together to develop a new high-end security camera, LX300, based on Obzerv’s range-gated laser camera.

Company Briefs

 

Government Contract Awards in Infrared Imaging

 

Government Contract Solicitations in Infrared Imaging