InGaAs imaging company wins $2m contract
Sensors Unlimited Inc. of Princeton, NJ, a provider of short-wave infrared cameras based on InGaAs, has received a follow-on, $2 million contract from the US Air Force.
The one year, Phase 1b program is to develop the industry s first high-frame-rate camera for combined imaging and ranging, using an in-pixel digitized, monolithic PIN/APD focal plane array.
The Department of Defense Missile Defense Agency is providing the funding under a contract managed by the Air Force. Sensors Unlimited says that it was the only vendor to address both imaging and ranging within a single, high performing focal plane array and camera.
"Sensors Unlimited s camera will significantly advance the state-of-the-art in infrared imaging, and will exceed the military s stringent requirements," said Matthew O Grady, principal engineer of Imaging Products at Sensors Unlimited.
"In Phase 1a we demonstrated our patented APD/PIN detector array, made possible by our epitaxial growth facility, and proved the feasibility of our advanced digital pixel output circuit design. Over the next year we will develop and deliver a single camera capable of high-resolution three-dimensional imaging, wavefront sensing and low light level imaging based on this unique technology."
Sensors Unlimited s camera is a 256x256 pixel array capable of both flash LADAR reception and photo-signal integration and has frame rates as high as 15,000 frames per second for a 128x128 pixel window, which enables the military to track objects at high speeds.
Commercial applications of the technology include collision avoidance and automatic surveying. The focal plane array includes a custom integrated circuit, based on a new digital output pixel design, which will enable unique performance and features for the signal measurement and readout functions.
If fully executed through Phase 3 of the program, the Sensors Unlimited contract will total $3.7 million and will culminate in the delivery of two advanced cameras to the Air Force.
