The Stingray camera from Allied Vision Technologies is now available from Stemmer Imaging in a version that has no cover glass over the sensor. This unusual configuration is intended for use for special applications such as laser beam profiling, the use of extended wavelength response coatings or endoscopy, where fibre optics need to be coupled directly to the sensor itself.
The Stingray cameras are modular, offering a wide selection of lens-mounts, sensors, case variations, interfaces and cable outputs, which can be configured flexibly using building block principles.
For UV imaging in particular, the glass used to cover the sensor can absorb UV rays, inhibiting UV sensitivity. This can affect a number of applications such as semiconductor/wafer inspection, fluorescence in biology, DNA analysis, astronomy, monitoring of oil spills, monitoring of corona discharge effects in high voltage electrical transmission lines and imaging of invisible flames such as hydrogen and alcohol.
A sensor can be made more sensitive in the UV region of the spectrum by coating a UV-sensitive phosphor layer directly onto the surface of the sensor. Although this could be done by removing the cover glass from a conventional camera, it is a very specialist procedure that could result in damage to the sensor so the availability of cameras without the cover glass is an important consideration.
Sensor performance in the infrared can also be enhanced using specialised IR-sensitive phosphor coatings. In some cases this can offer a cost-effective alternative to the use of specialised IR sensors such as InGaAs.
The sensor is shipped with a special adhesive foil to protect it against humidity and dust. This can be removed in a dust-free environment before the sensor is adapted for its particular application.
