New thermal sensor/core manufacturer from Turkey - Mikrosens

[Spirit532]

Whilst looking at various microbolometer/thermal core offerings online, I stumbled upon a relatively new manufacturer of microbolometer sensors and thermal camera cores. Looks like they're trying to compete with the Lepton cores.

Their name is Mikrosens Elektronik, and they're located in Turkey.
http://www.mikrosens.com.tr/en/products/

So far I've been unable to establish any contact, my emails were simply ignored(or didn't go through) and their phone number terminates after about a minute of ringing.

It could be an interesting option for DIY/low cost thermal imaging, so if anyone decides to try making contact with them and succeeds, I would be very grateful if you sent me a PM or dropped an email to eevblog@spirit.re

[frenky]

Interesting.

They also have a module similar to Flir One:
http://www.mikrosens.com.tr/en/products/20-mscam1650m-mobile-camera-for-android
http://www.mikrosens.com.tr/media/product-files/MSCAM1650M_product_brief_v4.pdf

[Fraser]

Mikrosens are using a different approach to microbolometer production to that of most others. They have designed a microbolometer that may be made in standard CMOS MEMS fabrication facilities without the need for the specialist facilities normally needed for such a device.

The resulting Microbolometers are of moderate performance. The NETD is 350mK (F1 lens) but to offset this less than great NETD, the cost of production is lower.

This company appears to have a philosophy similar to that of UK based IRISYS, to provide thermal imaging sensor arrays at significantly lower production cost. Interesting.

Mikrosens have some Patents so it might be interesting to see their microbolometer design.

I am wondering whether the infamous Mu thermal camera was intended to use this cheaper microbolometer technology.

Nil response to email or phone are not a good sign though.

Fraser

[Fraser]

It would appear that Mikrosens are using CMOS polysilicon resistors as their microbolometer pixels.

Just found this Thesis abstract......

"

Candidate:
Hande Öztürk
Area:
Electronics
Title:
Low-cost Microbolometer Infrared Detectors Utilizing Cmos Resistive Layers
Abstract:
This thesis summarizes the efforts to develop low-cost microbolometer type uncooled infrared detector architectures that utilize standard CMOS layers and components. In this thesis, various resistance structures of different CMOS technologies are investigated and possible resistors are determined as active material. In order to figure out potential microbolometer structure, all possible layers in the CMOS technologies are analyzed in terms of mechanical and thermal parameters. Mathematical modeling and computer simulations are realized. In order to obtain experimental data about the CMOS components, two different multi-project wafer CMOS chips are completed that contain various resistances and microbolometer structures. These designs are fabricated in the CMOS foundry and characterized in terms of electrical resistivity, temperature coefficient of resistance, thermal conductance, and noise. With the help of these experiences, the optimizedmicrobolometer architectures are employed in two different microbolometer infrared sensor focal plane arrays (FPAs). The developed and fabricated sensors are characterized in terms of the detector performance successfully. The outcome of this thesis can be summarized in three items. First of all, it is proven that the CMOS polysilicon layer can be used as the microbolometer active material with very low flicker noise and very high uniformity across the FPA. Secondly, the microbolometer architecture designed in the scope of this thesis formed the fundamentals of the CMOS Infrared (CIR) Technology concept which enables the fabrication of the infrared sensors in almost any CMOS/MEMS foundries in the world. Thirdly, by the Mikrosens engineering team, two different infrared sensors employing the developed microbolometer architectures in the scope of this thesis are realized. The final characterization results show that it is possible to achieve 150 mK NETD value with 35 µm pixel pitch and f/1 optics at 17 fps from 80x80 FPA."

Fraser

[Fraser]

Patent

https://encrypted.google.com/patents/EP2559067A2?cl=en

Fraser

[Spirit532]

Yeah, the much worse NETD is a disappointment, but honestly, if the module(and therefore sensor) is much cheaper than standard multiprocess(not just CMOS) microbolometers, I'll take it.

Still, no contact is worrying.

[LaserSteve]

I read the paper, two guys in the US and Japan did similar work in 1999...

Steve

[Fraser]

Spirit532,

Agreed.

The availability of easily purchased and low cost thermal imaging sensors and/or cores would be excellent. There are many applications that do not require super low NETD figures.

If thermal sensors could be fabricated anywhere near as cheaply as conventional CMOS visible light sensor arrays it would be a major step forward as the technology would find its way into all manner of products. You could have 'smart' intruder detection sensors rather than simple PIR's. Cars could have thermal vision driver assist and the science community could make all manner of interesting 'detector' assemblies. Such a sensor might also force a lowering of prices in the microbolometer marketplace.

As with all new technologies, there will be a period of development followed by fine tuning and enhancement. This is no different to the early days of BST and microbolometer based sensor technologies.

An interesting development. Thanks to the OP for highlighting it. Mikrosens also have patents for diode junction based thermal sensor arrays.

Fraser

[Spirit532]

It would be great if people from here tried reaching out, especially those that run a more corporate setup. I'm sure Mikrosens would be interested in dealing with a business a lot more than a bunch of nerds.

[paradigmic]

Interesting.

They also have a module similar to Flir One:
http://www.mikrosens.com.tr/en/products/20-mscam1650m-mobile-camera-for-android
http://www.mikrosens.com.tr/media/product-files/MSCAM1650M_product_brief_v4.pdf

Unfortunately searching for the product model only returns results on their own site plus one for this thread. The page says samples would be available Q1 2016 though, so I wonder if either they never completed the product, or if the camera is being sold but only rebranded by some other company.