Umicore has launched two new infrared lenses at the SPIE DSS exhibition in Baltimore, USA. The lenses are made using Umicore’s chalcogenide glass, Gasir. The Gasir lenses are developed at technology centres in Europe and high volume manufacturing is done at Umicore’s state-of-the-art facility in Quapaw, Oklahoma.
The new 35mm and 75mm longwave infrared (LWIR) imaging lenses use the properties of the optical materials to correct for changes in temperature. This removes the need for extra mechanical complexity in order to maintain focus at extreme temperatures.
The 35mm f/1.1 design combines outstanding imaging performance for the latest 17µm VGA (640 x 512 pixels) detectors with a length of just 25.4mm and an weight of 37.3g, a quarter of the weight of the previous generation.
The 75mm f/1.1 design can work with a broad range of detectors, stretching from 25µm QVGA (320 x 240 pixels) to the 12µm XGA (1,024 x 768 pixels) detectors. It weighs less than 274g and has a length of only 66mm.
These lenses are available in two versions: a high durability version which is sealed to the IP67 standard and with the front lens protected by Umicore’s iDLC coating to withstand harsh environments; and a high transmission version, which offers increased energy collection for greater contrast.
