Get Raytheon Microbolometer

Uncooled versus cooled Cooled and uncooled DFB lasers each have advantages and disadvantages: cooled laser modules offer better rise/fall times at an elevated temperature, while uncooled laser modules consume less power and have a smaller package size.

Microbolometers work ing to the thermal principle in which the emitted infrared radiation from an object is absorbed via a thermally insulated membrane. This mebrane warms up due to the thermal insulation and the absorption.

A microbolometer is a specific type of bolometer used as a detector in a thermal camera. It is a grid of microscopic vanadium oxide (or amorphous silicon) heat sensors atop a corresponding grid of silicon. Infrared radiation from a specific range of wavelengths strikes the VOx and changes its electrical resistance.

There are currently two types of thermal imaging sensors on the market, cooled and uncooled. Uncooled thermal imaging sensors operate at ambient temperature. Cooled sensors are packaged in a unit that keeps them at an extremely low temperature. These systems—cooled by cryogenics—are incredibly sensitive.

A microbolometer is an uncooled thermal sensor. High resolution thermal sensors require exotic and expensive cooling methods including stirling cycle coolers and liquid nitrogen coolers. These methods of cooling high resolution thermal imagers expensive to operate and unwieldy to move.

The cooled camera clearly can detect smaller temperature differences and for longer durations than the uncooled camera. This means the cooled camera will provide better detail on your target and help you detect even the faintest of thermal anomalies."

Three of the microbolometers are sensitive to the long-wave infrared from 7.5 to 14 microns (two cameras from FLIR and one from Sofradir EC) and the fourth is sensitive to both the mid-wave and long-wave infrared regions from 3 to 14 microns (from INO).