OSRAM Opto Semiconductors has announced two solutions to meet the requirements of night vision applications. Both the company's passively cooled Sirilas™ laser diode and its OSTAR™ Observation infrared (IR) light-emitting diode (LED) are ideal for night vision illumination applications that require high performance yet non-visible light.
The Sirilas laser diode module includes 16 individual emitters and offers a compact design. Designed for an output power of up to 20 W, Sirilas is ideal for night vision applications that require approximately 5 W to 8 W.
OSRAM's OSTAR Observation is the company's most powerful IR LED and takes the OSTAR family into the non-visible range. The OSTAR Observation measures 3×1 cm, yet emits infrared light with a wavelength of 850 nm rather than visible light. This wavelength is well suited for sensors in CMOS and CCD cameras used in night vision applications, and the high optical output ensures that the surrounding area is well covered.
Normal circulating air and simple equipment such as fans or thermoelectric coolers (TEC) are all that are needed to efficiently cool the Sirilas laser diode. Its heat sink consists of solid copper material with high thermal conductivity. An integrated lens produces an almost parallel beam with a typical vertical divergence of 1.5 (full angle). Laser bars with other wavelengths (800 nm to 1000 nm) can also be integrated in the package.
The OSTAR Observation is the third product in the company's OSTAR LED portfolio. All three OSTARs measure 3×1 cm, and this area accommodates two rows of five, one mm, thin-film chips. As a surface emitter, the IR LED emits almost all of its internally generated light from the top. This enables the LED to achieve excellent optical output, ideal for integration with external optics. With a forward current of 1 A, the OSTAR Observation produces an output of 5 W, and its specially adapted package ensures the reliable removal of the resultant generated heat.
The IR LED does not need a filter, enabling a much smaller solution that can be easily installed.
The passively cooled Sirilas is under development. Samples are available and production is planned for early 2006. The OSTAR Observation is scheduled to sample in early 2006, and production is scheduled for mid-2006.
OSRAM Opto Semiconductors • www.osram-os.com