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EUROSTARS-EUROSTARS

E!114314 SPEKTIR: A Novel Miniature Multispectral Thermal Image Sensor for Multi-Industrial use

Alternative title: En ny miniatyr multispektral termisk bildesensor for multiindustriell bruk.

Awarded: NOK 5.9 mill.

Project Manager:

Project Number:

317240

Project Period:

2020 - 2024

Funding received from:

Partner countries:

All physical objects emit thermal radiation with a spectrum of wavelengths related to their temperature. Our eyes can only see the thermal radiation from hot objects. For example, thermal radiation from a cooking plate at 500 degree Celsius appears as a faint red glow to the human eye; we are blind to the wavelengths longer than 0.7 micron. Fortunately, thermal infrared cameras enable us to acquire thermal images from objects in air, for example, with long wave infrared (LWIR) from 8 to 14 micron. Imaging at LWIR extends human vision capability at night, in smoke, fog and dust with important fields of applications in thermography, surveillance and more. Uncooled LWIR thermal cameras have sensors based on MEMS microbolometer arrays with CMOS readout integrated circuits. Today, many thermal cameras are still expensive and limited in performance. The project will develop a novel thermal image sensor based on MEMS microbolometers and CMOS integrated circuits. The important features will be high image resolution and multi-spectral capability. The manufacturing cost will be reduced by using large CMOS and MEMS production facilities and advanced packaging. The multi-spectral capability enables new applications, such as improving gas detection and gas cloud imaging and simplifying absolute measurements of surface temperatures from large distances. The objectives are to optimize CMOS ROIC and MEMS microbolometer arrays with multi-spectral capability and integrate the technology with suitable packaging and camera hardware. The project aims at the development, validation and demonstration of the novel uncooled high-performance multi-spectral thermal imager for applications in security/surveillance, high-end thermography, gas detection and automotive.

The SPEKTIR project will develop a novel uncooled miniature multi-spectral room-temperature operated cybersecure thermal imager sensitive for LWIR (8 - 14µm). The multi-spectral capability is not available in room-temperature operated imagers today and enable new applications. The imager will be offered to the security/surveillance, thermography, automotive and gas detection markets for a significantly lower price than existing products still retaining high-level performance and reliability. Building on the partner’s background IP we will improve the designs for readout integrated circuit (ROIC) from IDEAS, microbolometer arrays from FhG IMS, manufacturing processes at both partners, imaging SW from Nuromedia and integrate these components in the thermal imager & camera core. The challenges are 1. fabrication of the microbolometer arrays with high yield, performance and reliability, 2. hermetic vacuum packaging and 3. ROIC development and manufacture. The combined unique in-house SoA technologies at IDEAS, FhG IMS and Nuromedia enable manufacturing the miniature multi-spectral uncooled cybersecure thermal imager at much lower costs than SoA products serving the same markets. The multi-spectral features will enable thermography independent of emissivity and expansion of high-performance thermographic vision to cost-conscious & high-volume markets first-ever; offering new options for users including cybersecurity and generate high revenues.

Funding scheme:

EUROSTARS-EUROSTARS