Sofradir, a developer and manufacturer of advanced infrared detectors for military, space and industrial applications, will present the Altair, a new dual-band MW-MW IR detector, at the SPIE Defense, Security & Sensing Conference 2010, April 5-9. Altair MWIR-MWIR operates in two mid-wave bandwidths, 3-4 micron and 4-5 micron, allowing users to better identify objects and thereby reduce the number of false threats identified. The dual-band MW-MW IR detector also enables more accurate temperature measurement of targets. Altair MWIR-MWIR first shipped in early January to a European customer. Production ramp-up is expected in mid 2011.
According to Sofradir, the new detector will provide higher quality images for users of missile warning systems. The key advantage of dual-band IR detectors is that users can choose the band most suited to conditions, such as high humidity, high temperatures etc., to detect and identify targets and threats in the mid-wave range using a single piece of equipment. Or, they can fuse or compare the image of both bandwidths to improve target identification, for example, as the images will be naturally registered. “Naturally registered” means that the two color dots that make up each pixel are able to focus on the same location at the same time.
Sofradir develops and manufactures advanced infrared detectors (IR) for military, space and commercial applications. It specializes in cooled IR detectors based on a sophisticated high performance technology, mercury cadmium telluride (MCT), and its product portfolio of scanning and staring arrays covers the entire infrared spectrum. Sofradir also offers QWIP detectors developed in cooperation with Thales.
Sofradir’s headquarters are located in Châtenay-Malabry, near Paris, France. Its manufacturing facilities and those of ULIS, its subsidiary that manufactures uncooled IR detectors, are located in Veurey-Voroize, near Grenoble, in France. Sofradir EC, the company’s U.S. subsidiary, operates in Fairfield, N.J. Sofradir, ULIS and Sofradir EC employ more than 500 people.
SOURCE: http://www.sofradir.com
