Sensors Unlimited to Develop All-Solid-State IR System

PRINCETON, N.J., July 29 -- Sensors Unlimited Inc., a provider of indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) technology, has received a subcontract from Battelle for a 12-month, $530,000 program to develop what it says will be the first all-solid-state InGaAs shortwave infrared (IR) range-gated camera system. Battelle, based in Columbus, Ohio, develops technology and manages laboratories for government and commercial customers. The prime contract was issued by the US Army Research Laboratory in Adelphia, Md.

Sensors Unlimited will develop a new focal plane array and camera featuring range-gates shorter than 200 ns. The camera will be integrated with a compact eye-safe laser that will allow range-gated imaging at distances greater than 2 kilometers.

"This will be the first all-solid-state range-gated imaging system," said Martin H. Ettenberg, director of imaging products at Sensors Unlimited. "An all-solid-state system allows for a lightweight and durable camera that can be manufactured at a cost much lower than current tube-based systems."

The camera will incorporate an InGaAs focal plane array with 320 x 256 pixels, sensitive to light from 0.9 microns to 1.7 microns, according to Sensors Unlimited, and it will be capable of passive imaging in a staring mode with long integration times and active imaging with illumination provided by a short-pulse laser. Gated imaging allows high-resolution imaging at long distances through fog, rain and other obscurants.

For more information, visit: www.sensorsinc.com