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By topic (Cooled Sensors)
May 2013
SCD Rolling Out a Line of New Infrared Products
April 2013
QmagiQ Becomes Merchant Supplier of Superlattice FPAs
IDGA Night Vision Conference to Feature the Latest in Infrared
March 2013
L-3 Cincinnati Electronics Introducing High-Performance nBn FPA and Camera
SPIE’s IR Technology and Applications Conference – A Preview
February 2013
Former Indigo Execs Start New Infrared Venture
Lockheed Martin Consolidates Gyrocam Operation in Orlando
Dual Band Active/Passive Imaging Demonstrated in Superlattices
December 2012
Selex Galileo Faces Expanding Market for MOVPE MCT
EPIR Planning to Set up MCT Fab Based on BAE Systems Technology
Elbit Sues Government of Israel over Infrared Reconnaissance Pod for Turkey
IRnova Sees Big Increase in QWIPs for Gas Sensing
November 2012
Teledyne Launching T2SL FPA and Camera
Selex Galileo 3rd Gen FPA Meets U.S. Requirements
SSZ Licenses Infrared Camouflage Technology for Production in the U.S.
October 2012
Is Javelin Moving to an Uncooled Seeker?
New Infrared Security Cameras at ASIS Illustrate Continued Price Decreases
September 2012
Infrared Conference in Japan Attracts Intense Interest
Cooled and Uncooled Infrared Detectors in South Korea
Raytheon vs. FLIR Court Case Comes Back to Life
JAGM is Downgraded to Dual-Mode as Budget Tightens
EADS Cassidian Prepares to Take Over Carl Zeiss Optronics
August 2012
Thales UK Receives Major Research and Development Award for Infrared Hostile Fire Indicator
July 2012
HOT FPAs for Cooled German Thermal Weapon Sights
June 2012
New Developments in Infrared Camouflage
May 2012
nBn FPAs Enter the Commercial Market
DRS Reorganizes
April 2012
TriWave SWIR Sensor Makes a Comeback
March 2012
Consolidation of Infrared Technology in France Will Strengthen Sofradir
New Research Results in T2SL FPAs
Enhancing Productivity of Turbine Blade Inspection with Pulsed Infrared
February 2012
JPL Extends T2SL Barrier Detector Response to Full MWIR Band
January 2012
Thales and Safran Form Joint Venture in Optronics
Advanced Common Sensor Program Holds Out Hope for 3rd Gen
L-3 Acquiring Kollmorgen
Axsys Renamed to General Dynamics GIT
December 2011
Whither 3rd Gen FLIR?
Qmagiq Develops 1K x 1K LWIR Superlattice FPA
Gorgon Stare Being Upgraded
November 2011
First Commercial Large Format HOT T2SL FPA Makes its Debut
Selex Galileo Pushes HOT FPAs to New Level
October 2011
Lockheed Martin Looks to the Use of nBn FPAs for Next Generation EO/IR Systems
September 2011
DCG Acquires Thermosensorik
August 2011
IRFPA Forum in Japan has Record Attendance
JAXA Stimulates IRFPA Development in Japan
“HOT” Cryocooled FPAs in the Spotlight
BAE Systems Phasing Out MCT Detectors
Newport Acquiring Ophir Optronics of Israel
July 2011
Fraunhofer Institut Decreasing Pixel Size of its Dual-Color T2SL Arrays
June 2011
Cantronic Sells Thermal Imaging Business including QWIPs
May 2011
Medical Infrared - The Role of Infrared in Endoscopes
April 2011
Recent Superlattice Developments Outside VISTA: Northwestern University
Teledyne Acquires Nova Sensors
AIM Grows MCT on GaAs: The First Results
Export Version of Predator UAV Will Fly with FLIR Systems Sensor
France’s III-V Lab Partners with CEA/Leti
March 2011
EVS Takes One Step Closer to More Widespread Use
Honeywell’s Demonstration of Blended Infrared and Synthetic Vision on Primary Flight Displays
February 2011
UK’s 3rd Gen Albion Program Comes to a Successful Conclusion
No Further MOD Support Expected
ITT to Split into Three Companies
Defense Segment Will Continue Work on Night Vision
U.S. Export Control Reform and its Potential Effect on Infrared
South Korea Investing in EO/IR in View of Recent Threats from North
U.S. Defense Streamlining has Mixed Effect on Infrared
January 2011
Lockheed Martin Licenses nBn Technology
FLIR Systems Develops 3D Uncooled Binoculars
Teledyne Buying DALSA
Synergies in Infrared
December 2010
New Advanced Targeting Pod Moves to Megapixel FPAs
Northrop Grumman is Back in the Game
Sensor Overload
Gray Eagle UAVs Being Deployed with Three Common Sensor Payloads
EVS Certified on Boeing Business Jet
The First Step to Wider Infrared Use in Commercial Aviation?
Progress in Large-Format Longwave Superlattice FPAs
November 2010
NASA Funds Tests of Synthetic Vision for Use with Infrared Enhanced Vision for Aircraft
September 2010
FLIR Systems Acquiring ICx Technologies
Integrating a Diversified Portfolio of Technologies
August 2010
QinetiQ Exits Infrared Detector Work
Missile Defense Agency Opens up SBIR and STTR Solicitations in Infrared Technology
July 2010
Putting 200 Million Pixels on Target
Lockheed Martin Wins ARGUS–IR Contract
Setting Up Shop in the U.S.
Overseas IR Detector Companies Expanding U.S. Operations
IDGA Night Vision Conference to Feature the Latest in Infrared
BAE Systems to Reorganize in U.S.
The Effect on Infrared Operations
June 2010
The Latest on DARPA Infrared Programs
The New U.S. Ground Combat Vehicle (GCV) and Infrared Sensors
German Future Soldier Uncooled Infrared Rifle Sight Goes Modular
Simplifying the Small Arms Video Sight
May 2010
The VISTA Program: A Major U.S Effort in FPA Development
AIM Plans Aggressive New FPA Development
Tri-mode JAGM Seekers Tested in Preparation for Down-select
April 2010
Infrared Markets Shrug Off Economic Slowdown
Progress in T2SL Infrared Detectors
March 2010
Infrared Aircraft Enhanced Vision Systems Poised to Move into the Big Time
February 2010
RVS Moving Selected Infrared Production to Lompoc
The Effect of Eased U.S. Export Controls on Uncooled Infrared Cameras
U.S. Also Proposing Easier Export Controls for Thermal Imagers in Two Application Areas
January 2010
Sagem Acquires Optics 1
FLIR Systems is Merging Commercial and Thermography Divisions
December 2009
“4th Generation” Targeting Pods
Northrop Grumman’s Litening G4 Jumps Ahead
Raytheon Demonstrates 3rd Gen for Combat Vehicles
Progress in Type II Superlattice FPAs
Large Area Substrates Provide a Path to Practical Devices
November 2009
FLIR Systems Partnering with Sofradir on 3rd Gen
French 3rd Gen FLIR Effort Makes Rapid Progress
October 2009
Infrared in Japan
The Latest Developments
FLIR Systems Wins Claims in Lawsuit Brought by Raytheon
September 2009
Raytheon Vision Systems Sets New Record with 4K x 4K MCT FPAs
August 2009
Lockheed Martin Buying Gyrocam
A Deal That Makes Sense
3rd Gen Infrared Technology: What’s Next?
ARTEMIS Providing Hyperspectral Images from Space
Spectral Images for Operational Use
EADS Wins Large Saudi Border Contract
Selects FLIR Systems to Provide Infrared Systems – with potential for much more
July 2009
General Dynamics Buying Axsys
How Will the Acquisition Affect the Commercial and Military Infrared Markets?
Military Infrared Market Reached Record Levels in 2008
Submarine Panoramic Infrared Periscope
Solving the “Safety Scan” Problem
DRS Separates Portions of its EO/IR Business into a Proxy Company
June 2009
Running FPAs Hot
Groups Worldwide Vie to Operate Their Cooled FPAs “Less Cool”
May 2009
MDA Places Bet on Superlattice Detectors as Potential Replacement for MCT
Launches FastFPA Program
U.S. Defense Budget to Undergo Big Changes
Their Effect on Infrared
April 2009
Axsys Technologies Puts Itself up for Sale
Some of the Potential Buyers
Raytheon Transferring Linear Cryocooler Production to AIM
March 2009
World Infrared Market Takes Leap Forward in 2008
Standards Agency Tests Fire Fighting Thermal Imagers
Measures Performance Against New NFPA Draft Standard and Comes Up with a Few Surprises
SPIE’s IR Technology and Applications Conference
February 2009
U.S. Army Moves Ahead with 3rd Gen FLIR Award
SDD Contract Sets the Stage for Production of 3rd Gen FLIR Engines
January 2009
L-3 Communications Changes Organizational Structure of Infrared Businesses
Selex Galileo Makes New Advances with its MOVPE Process
Obtaining High Yield with Mercury Cadmium Telluride
December 2008
Start-up Preparing 400 x 400 SiGeC SWIR FPA
November 2008
Aircraft EVS
Market Separates into High and Low Ends
Axsys Expands Operations
Increases Product Offerings
Sofradir Buys Electrophysics
The Strategy Behind the Move
New InGaAs Camera Based on Alcatel-Thales III-V Module
Army Cancels ARH
Sensor Systems in Limbo
September 2008
Lockheed Martin Pathfinder Sensor in Flight Tests
Pilotage sensors vs. EVS
August 2008
Goodrich Acquires Recon/Optical
Selex Galileo Moves MOVPE 640 x 512 LWIR MCT to 16 Micron Pixels
BAE Systems Developing Wide Field-of-View Airborne Surveillance System for AWAPSS
The system is making use of custom-designed FPAs
Space Based IR Sensor Program Morphs to Next Phase
The Alternative Infrared Satellite System (AIRSS) program has become a follow-on to SBIRS High
July 2008
Former Indigo Execs Prevail Over FLIR Systems in Lawsuit
FLIR Systems has lost a lawsuit against two former Indigo Systems executives whom it claimed were misappropriating trade secrets and against whom FLIR was seeking a permanent injunction to prevent them from starting a new venture to produce uncooled microbolometers.
Electrophysics and Opgal Partner
Multiple Kill Vehicle Seeker Development Moves to Next Phase
The Multiple Kill Vehicle (MKV) program for developing a robust mid-course ballistic missile interceptor is moving to a prototype seeker that will be able to track multiple targets and then guide multiple kill vehicles to destroy them.
June 2008
IDGA Night Vision Conference
The 2-day IDGA Night Vision Conference at the end of July includes a number of high-level presentations
Finmeccanica to Acquire DRS
Finmeccanica S.p.A. (Italy) has agreed to acquire DRS Technologies for $5.2 billion in cash.
May 2008
3rd Gen FLIR Moving to SDD
The U.S. Army’s effort to develop and field a 3rd Gen FLIR is moving into the System Development and Demonstration (SDD) phase.
April 2008
L-3 Buying Northrop Grumman’s Electro-Optical Systems Business
L-3 Communications has signed an agreement to acquire Northrop Grumman's Electro-Optical Systems (EOS) business for $175 million in cash. The EOS business had 2007 revenues of approximately $190 million in night vision goggles, weapons sights, driver viewers, image intensifier tubes and applied optics products.
March 2008
UK 3rdGen Albion Program Goes into Phase 2
The UK’s Albion program for developing 3rd Gen FPAs has gone into Phase 2 with the award by the UK MOD of a £5.8 million (approximately $10.6 million) three-year contract to prime contractor Selex Sensors and Airborne Systems.
Infrared Markets Soar
World commercial and dual-use infrared imaging markets soared by 30% in 2007.
Goodrich Forms New ISR Business Unit
Goodrich Corp. has formed a new ISR Systems (Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance) business unit out of the former Optical & Space Systems (OSS) division. The new unit has its headquarters in Chelmsford, Mass., and includes operations in Danbury, Conn., Albuquerque, N.M., Princeton, N.J., Ithaca, N.Y., and Malvern (UK).
Medical Infrared Struggles
The application of thermal imaging to medicine has long been heralded as one of the most promising application areas. One of the most hotly pursued areas has been screening for breast cancer.
February 2008
SPIE’s Infrared Technology and Applications Conference
SPIE’s Infrared Technology and Applications XXXIV Conference – a part of SPIE’s Defense & Security Symposium - will feature the latest developments in IR technology and sensor systems. The four day conference, with concurrently running sessions on Monday and Tuesday, will be held from March 17 to 20 at the Orlando World Center Marriott Resort and Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.
IRnova Moves up the Food Chain to QWIP DDCA Modules
IRnova is moving up the infrared food chain and is now offering its customers full Detector Dewar Cooler Assemblies (DDCAs) instead of just QWIP focal plane arrays. The DDCAs are provided together with partners that specialize in detector and cooler manufacturing.
FLIR/Cedip Acquisition Closes
FLIR Systems has completed the acquisition of 69.3% of the shares (at 19 euros per share or a total of 42.3 million euros) of Cedip Infrared Systems after obtaining approval from the French Ministry of Finance and Economy. FLIR Systems Holdings SAS, the company’s French subsidiary will now proceed to acquire the remaining shares of Cedip for the same 19 euro price.
January 2008
New Gen EVS Ready for 2008
A new generation of Enhanced Vision Systems (EVS) for aircraft is close to being certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Kollsman’s EVS II, an enhanced version of its original EVS, makes use of SCD’s 320 x240 InSb FPA on a Blue Fairy read-out and provides 30% increase in sensitivity.
EO/IR System for DDG 1000 Moves into Production Phase
The EO/IR system for the U.S. Navy’s next-generation DDG 1000 (Zumwalt class) destroyer (including stealth and electric propulsion) is moving into the production phase.The EO/IR system is being developed by a team being led by Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems
Axsys Sells Distributed Products Business
Axsys Technologies has sold its Distributed Products business for $15 million. The divestiture of this business (which supplies bearings) allows Axsys to concentrate on its infrared and optics businesses which it is reorganizing into the following segments:
Teledyne to Acquire Judson
Teledyne Scientific & Imaging, LLC has entered into an agreement to acquire Judson Technologies, LLC.
BAE Systems Tests AALC
BAE Systems has completed the first test of an autonomous landing system intended for large mobility and transport aircraft. The test demonstrated the system’s ability to enhance pilot vision in a simulated zero-visibility landing scenario.
December 2007
British Dual-Band FPAs
The fabrication of mercury cadmium telluride (MCT) FPAs by MOVPE (Metal Organic Vapor Phase Epitaxy) continues to make rapid progress. Most recently, both Selex Sensors & Airborne Systems, S&AS and QinetiQ have achieved new performance levels with dual-band (MW/LW) FPAs.
ICx Launches IPO
ICx Technologies launched an Initial Public Offering of 5 million shares of its common stock at a price of $16.00 per share on the NASDAQ market. However, the company was caught in the volatility of the markets and shares dropped to under $8 before recovering to over $9 on November 27.
November 2007
3rd Gen FLIR
The successful development of dual-band 640 x 480 and 720 x 1280 mercury cadmium telluride focal plane arrays (FPA) under the DBFM (Dual-Band Flexible Manufacturing) program at the end of 2006, is giving rise to a flurry of activity to demonstrate complete 3rd Gen systems and take full advantage of this powerful technology.
Toward Gigapixel IRFPAs
The size of infrared focal plane arrays (FPA) is poised for a large increase. Currently, both InSb and MWIR MCT arrays have been fabricated in a 2K x 2K monolithic configuration, with the InSb FPA used in the SHARP reconnaissance pod and the MCT FPA used in the NIRCam instrument on the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).
DRS Seeking to Replace IAI Tamam on Shadow
DRS Sensors & Targeting Systems is seeking to unseat IAI-Tamam as the supplier of the EO/IR system on the U.S. Army’s Shadow 200 Tactical UAV (RQ-7B). The Army wants an upgrade of the Shadow EO/IR system which includes a laser designator.
October 2007
FLIR Buying Cedip
FLIR Systems has entered into an agreement to acquire a controlling interest in Cedip Infrared Systems in a deal that values the French company at 62.7 million euros (approximately $86.4 million).
Megapixel Airborne Targeting
Northrop Grumman is preparing its latest Litening AT targeting pod for flight tests in November. The new Litening AT (currently called 4th Gen Litening) makes use of a 1024 x 1024 InSb FPA (18 µm pixels) detector module (made by FLIR/Indigo), a 1024 x 1024 CCD visible sensor, a new dual-band laser designator and range finder, laser spot tracker and infrared laser marker.
Cantronic Reorganizes – Wins Orders in Spain
Cantronic Systems is re-organizing its products into two divisions: Thermography and Security/Night Vision.
September 2007
World Military IR Markets
The world military infrared systems market grew at a blazing growth rate in 2006.
Nova Sensors Seeks to Push IR Scene Projection to New Heights with High Current RIICs
Nova Sensors is developing a new generation of Read-In-Integrated Circuits (RIIC) which will enable infrared scene projectors (IRSPs) to run at much higher temperatures and thus be able to better simulate the hot exhausts and plumes of missiles.
August 2007
DARPA MTO Solicits New Programs
The Defense Advancement Research Projects Agency, DARPA is soliciting a wide range of new research projects for its Microsystems Technology Office (MTO). Infrared technologies play an important part.
New IR Scene Projection Envisions Hybrid Approach
Infrared scene projection (IRSP) is a valuable tool for characterizing military systems such as missile seekers. Thermal IRSPs are essentially microbolometers run in reverse: in which a current is passed through electrodes on the suspended microbridge elements.
Goodrich to Modify U-2 Sensors for Space
Goodrich ISR Systems has been awarded a contract by the Naval Research Laboratory to modify the high-performance imaging sensor used on the high-altitude U-2 surveillance aircraft for use as a space payload.
July 2007
New Border Sensors Fired Up
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s SBInet sensor network on the Mexican border went into operation along a 28 mile stretch southwest of Tucson. The first section of the “virtual fence” consists of nine 98 foot towers with visible and infrared cameras that send images to a command center and to specially equipped Border Patrol vehicles.
FLIR Systems Introduces New Marine Thermal Imagers
FLIR Commercial Vision Systems is introducing the latest in its line of thermal imaging systems for marine use. The company’s Navigator™ is now available in three configurations: fixed, 360º pan, or full pan/tilt.
Israeli Military Delegation Visits India
On the Lookout for More Infrared Business
June 2007
Lockheed Martin Introduces Pilotage Sensor
Lockheed Martin is introducing a new pilotage sensor for cargo and utility aircraft. The sensor was recently demonstrated on a UH-1 helicopter at Fort Belvoir, Virginia.
May 2007
T2SL Research Intensifies
Research on Type II Superlattice (T2SL) FPAs is increasing rapidly as evidenced by the ten papers presented on these detectors at the April SPIE Infrared Technology & Applications Conference in Orlando. Currently, most of this work is aimed at improving performance in the LWIR, since good performance has already been demonstrated in the MWIR.
Judson Enters FPA Market
Judson Technologies LLC, which has traditionally focused on single-element and linear array infrared detectors, is entering the infrared FPA and camera market.
Selex’ Bet on MOVPE MVT FPAs Continues to Pay Off
Selex Sensors & Airborne Systems, S&AS is continuing to make rapid progress with its process for making mercury cadmium telluride (MCT) FPAs by MOVPE (Metal Organic Vapor Phase Epitaxy) on GaAs substrates. The MOVPE fabrication process, which is being supported by the UK’s 3rd Gen Albion program, has become a viable method for making MCT FPAs with good yield on relatively large substrates.
April 2007
Zeiss Acquiring Denel Optronics
Carl Zeiss Optronics GmbH is acquiring a 70% interest in Denel Optronics, which is owned by the state-owned defense group Denel Pty. Ltd. and is currently undergoing partial privatization. The German company and Denel Optronics have collaborated closely on technology for a number of years.
Sofradir Awarded Contract for Space Sensors
Sofradir has been awarded a EUR 3.2 million (USD 4.2 million) contract by NEC Toshiba Space for an infrared detector to be used on the Global Change Observation Mission (GCOM) satellite of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
March 2007
Acreo Spins Off QWIP Business
Acreo AB is spinning off its QWIP (Quantum Well Infrared Photodetector) business to a new company called IRnova AB.
U.S. Defense Budget
A big increase (but not for all infrared programs)
New DARPA IR Programs
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) plans to start a number of infrared programs in fiscal 2008 (starting October 1st).
SPIE’s Infrared Technologies and Applications Conference
SPIE’s Infrared Technology and Applications XXXIII Conference – a part of SPIE’s DSS - Defense & Security Symposium - will feature the latest developments in IR technology and sensor systems. The five day conference will be held from April 9 to April 13 at the Orlando World Center Marriott Resort and Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.
Esterline Corp. to Buy CMC Electronics
Esterline Corp. has agreed to buy CMC Electronics for $335 million. CMC Electronics (formerly Canadian Marconi Canada) is a leading supplier of avionics systems including both cooled and uncooled infrared Enhanced Vision Systems (EVS) for pilots.
February 2007
World Infrared Markets
The combined world commercial and dual-use infrared imaging and spot infrared thermometry market grew at a blistering nearly 20% pace in 2006.
Israel Adopting New Export Control Act
Israel is changing its export control policies and will adhere to the Wassenaar Arrangement’s Control Lists for both Munitions items and for Dual-Use items. According to the Wassenaar agreements, dual-use products go through a licensing procedure that is usually administered by a commerce department or ministry.
January 2007
3rd Gen FLIR Moves Out of Research and Development
3rd Gen infrared technology has moved out of R&D with the completion of the U.S. Army’s Dual-Band FPA Manufacturing Program (DBFM). The technology is being transitioned from an Advanced Technology Objective (ATO) to Systems Development and Demonstration (SDD) in which complete 3rd Gen FLIR engines (B-kits) will be developed over the next 2 - 3 years.
Cantronic Acquisition of QWIP Systems
The acquisition by Cantronic Systems, Inc. of QWIP Systems (the Canadian parent of QWIPTECH in the U.S.) has been completed. Both companies are publicly traded in Canada.
QinetiQ Receives DARPA Award
QinetiQ has been awarded a two-year, $5 million research contract by DARPA in support of its Large Area Coverage Optical Search While Track and Engage (LACOSTE) program. Under LACOSTE, extremely-wide field-of-view coded aperture imaging technology will be used to support single sensor day/night persistent tactical surveillance of all moving vehicles in a large urban battlefield.
December 2006
Longwave Superlattice FPA
Type II Superlattice (T2SL) FPAs have made great progress over the last three years. Some are even heralding these detectors as the successor to mercury cadmium telluride.
Sofradir Building New Fab to Increase Production
Sofradir is starting construction on a new Fab near Grenoble that will double its production capacity of cooled infrared focal plane arrays and position the company to supply 3rd Gen FPAs. The new facility will produce mercury cadmium telluride (MCT) FPAs by Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) on 4” germanium substrates (compared to the currently used 2” CZT substrates).
Image Fusion 2007
The Image Fusion 2007 conference to be held between January 22 and 24 in Alexandria, Virginia is expected to cover a wide range of topics that are increasingly important for a wide number of applications.
November 2006
Hedging the Missile Warning Risk
The U.S. Air Force is hedging its bets on the long-delayed Space Based Infrared System High and starting an alternative program that injects the most recent advances in infrared focal plane array technology.
CMC Electronics Ships 100th EVS
CMC Electronics has shipped its 100th EVS (Enhanced Vision System) for aircraft. Most of these are the SureSight® I-Series.
October 2006
German Future Soldier System
The new enhanced version of the German future soldier system, IdZ-ES (Infanteristen der Zukunft) is increasing the number of infrared sights to be provided to soldiers. Earlier this year The German MoD’s BWB procurement agency awarded the prime contract for an enhanced version of IdZ to prime contractor Rheinmetall.
Kollsman Readying Uncooled EVS
Kollsman is preparing to roll out its uncooled enhanced vision system for general aviation aircraft, GAViS™ (General Aviation Vision System).
Siemens to Acquire VistaScape
Siemens Building Technologies has signed an agreement to acquire VistaScape Security Systems as a wholly owned subsidiary.
QWIPTECH Broadening Focus
QWIPTECH is seeking to broaden its presence in the infrared market from just being a supplier of QWIP FPAs. The company has signed a contract with Mectron to provide enhanced infrared detector assemblies for the seekers of Sidewinder air-to-air missiles.
Boeing Wins Secure Borders Initiative
The Department of Homeland Security has awarded the first phase of the Secure Border Initiative (SBInet) contract to a team led by Boeing. The program is intended to help secure both America’s southern and northern borders with a network of sensors.
September 2006
Selex MCT/GaAs Process goes into Production for Large Format LWIR
SELEX Sensors & Airborne Systems has moved its mercury cadmium telluride (MCT) grown by MOVPE (Metal Organic Vapor Phase Epitaxy) on low-cost GaAs substrates into production. The company is now producing 640 x 480 LWIR FPAs - dubbed “Eagle LW”- with a cut-off wavelength of 9.7µm.
August 2006
Cantronic to Buy QWIP Systems
Cantronic Systems, Inc. has agreed to merge with QWIP Systems (the Canadian company which is the parent of QWIPTECH in the U.S.) Both companies are publicly traded in Canada.
Teledyne to Acquire Rockwell Scientific
Teledyne Technologies, Inc. has entered into an agreement to acquire Rockwell Scientific Co., RSC, Los Angeles, California) for $167.5 million in cash from Rockwell Collins and Rockwell Automation.
FLIR Wins Final Selection for ARH
FLIR Systems has been selected by Bell Helicopter Textron to supply the EO system for the Army’s Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH). FLIR will supply the BRITE Star II® airborne stabilized multi-sensor system (640 x 480 InSb) as the Target Acquisition Sensor Suite (TASS) for ARH.
July 2006
CEDIP Launches IPO
CEDIP Infrared has launched an Initial Public Offering (IPO) on the Alternext market of the Euronext Exchange. The company’s existing 2,500,000 shares of stock have been admitted on Alternext. In addition, a maximum of 712,500 new shares have been issued and admitted to the exchange.
Thales Seeks to Expand Optronics in U.S.
Thales is seeking to expand its presence in optronics in the U.S.
June 2006
UK Albion Program
SELEX Sensors & Airborne Systems is moving ahead in the UK’s Albion program for the development of 3rd Gen FPAs based on mercury cadmium telluride (MCT) FPAs grown by MOVPE (Metal Organic Vapor Phase Epitaxy). After experimenting with both GaAs and GaAs:Si (GaAs on silicon) substrates, researchers have settled on the GaAs substrates because of the lower defect levels and the better stability of defect levels at storage temperatures to 100ºC.
Siemens Invests in Thermosensorik
Siemens AG has acquired a minority stake in thermal imaging company Thermosensorik GmbH. The investment was made through Siemens Venture Capital and Siemens Technology Accelerator.
Germany Edges Toward Trigat LR
Germany’s Ministry of Defense (MoD) is moving closer to procuring the Trigat LR (Long Range) anti-armor missiles for the country’s Eurocopter Tiger attack helicopters. The MoD has already allocated 380 million euros for 600 Trigats.
May 2006
AIM Pushes SLs to New High Performance Levels
AIM Infrarot-Module - working in conjunction with the Fraunhofer Institut, IAF, - has demonstrated a new level of performance for Type II Superlattice (T2SL) focal plane arrays operating in the mid-wave.
FLIR Reorganizes Imaging Business
FLIR Systems has re-organized its Imaging business into two separate Divisions: a commercial imaging division and a government imaging division. The company also plans to invest $15 million to significantly increase the capacity of its uncooled VOx microbolometer production facility in Santa Barbara.
Raytheon Launches New Security System for Airports and Other Infrastructure
Raytheon’s Airspace Management and Homeland Security business is launching an Integrated Airport Security System (IASS) that makes it easier for airports to ensure the safety of passengers from their arrival at the airport to departure in the aircraft. .
SBIR Shipping Large Format IR Scene Projectors
Santa Barbara Infrared, Inc. (SBIR), a HEICO company, has shipped the first of its Large Format Resistive Array (LFRA) IR Scene Projectors, which are based on a 1024 x 1024 array of microresistors on a custom CMOS Read In Integrated Circuit (RIIC). The company has orders for 10 full systems and 3 spare projection heads from U.S. government customers representing the three military services.
April 2006
JPL Breakthrough in QDIPs
Researchers at Jet Propulsion Laboratory have achieved a significant breakthrough by fabricating the first large format QDIP Quantum Dot Infrared Photodetector) FPA. The 640 x 512 FPA formed excellent images and had an NETD of 40 mK at an operating temperature of 60 K.
German Future Soldier System to Get Upgrade
The German program for the Infantryman of the Future (IdZ - Infanteristen der Zukunft) is being upgraded with additional capabilities. Currently, the IdZ thermal weapon sight is based on an AIM HuntIR sight that makes use of a 384 x 288 MWIR mercury cadmium telluride FPA.
SBInet Holds Out Hope for Infrared Strategic Border Initiative
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Strategic Border Initiative program (SBInet) is shaping up to be a boon for infrared technology. SBInet has two major themes: controlling the border and immigration enforcement.
March 2006
World Infrared Markets
The combined world commercial and dual-use infrared imaging and spot infrared thermometry market is growing rapidly. Uncooled infrared focal plane array technology used in a broad range of applications continues to be the major driving factor.
Opgal Partnering with WinSoft to Penetrate the U.S. Market
Opgal is partnering with WinSoft on infrared systems. Opgal cameras will be available with the WinSoft ThermaVu software development kit for image analysis, camera control and thermal analysis.
SPIE’s Infrared Technology and Applications Conference
SPIE’s Infrared Technology and Applications XXXII Conference – a part of SPIE’s DSS - Defense & Security Symposium - will feature the latest developments in IR technology and sensor systems. The five day conference will be held from April 17 to April 21 at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center, Orlando, Florida.
February 2006
The Next 3rd Gen
Researchers at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory, ARL, in cooperation with Rockwell Scientific Corp. are making significant progress toward being able to fabricate MCT (mercury cadmium telluride) FPAs by Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) directly on composite silicon substrates. Recently, they succeeded in making 256 x 256 pixel LWIR MCT FPAs (40 µm pitch) on silicon substrates having a lattice-matched CdSeTe buffer layer. Initial results indicate an NETD of 33 mK for a cut-off wavelength of 10 µm. Operability (fraction of usable pixels) was measured to be 99%.
Coast Guard SeeCoast to Extend Port Protection
The U.S. Coast Guard’s SeeCoast port surveillance program is adding infrared and electro-optic cameras to the Port Security and Monitoring System so as to detect, classify and track vessels.
January 2006
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.
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.
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