Low Cost Lead Salt Mid-IR Imager

"Agiltron proposes a revolutionary approach to Mid-IR imager intrinsically having advantages in sensitivity, energy efficiency, reliability, and cost as compared with the competitive approaches. The innovation is based on pixel-level integration ofmicro-machined PbSe-Au interferometer that directly converts IR image into visible image providing unprecedented opportunity to produce affordable Mid-IR imager of drastically reduced cost. The design incorporates optical read-out, which eliminates thedrawback of electronic means that inevitably introduce additional signal loss due to thermal contact made to the detector element. Moreover, the design is simple, compact, lightweight, low power consumption, rugged, and long operating life. Prototypedevice will be fabricated to demonstrate functionality in Phase I. We anticipate demonstrating leading edge performance in this program. Success in the Phase I effort will identify a viable manufacturing route for low cost solid-state imagers. Thesedevices have a wide range of "dual use" applications, from various DoD's battlefield applications to commercial applications of fire fighting, law enforcement, industrial control, and driver's aid."