ID :
47340
Tue, 02/24/2009 - 15:31
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/47340
The shortlink copeid
S. Korean engineers develop high-tech infrared imaging device
By Lee Joon-seung
SEOUL, Feb. 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korean engineers said on Tuesday they have
developed a high-tech infrared imaging device that has wide-ranging civilian and
military applications.
The joint effort by the state-run Electronics and Telecommunications Research
Institute (ETRI) and i3system Co. of Daejeon permits users to see clearly objects
and people that are up to 1 kilometer away in dark rooms and at night.
Unlike "cooled" infrared imaging machines, which require a separate refrigeration
device or liquid nitrogen to freeze the crucial imaging chip to minus 196 C, the
"uncooled" quarter video graphics array device can operate at room temperatures,
is much cheaper and can be made lightweight.
The system merges an arrayed infrared receiver with sub-micron size semiconductor
technology and micron-level integrated micro-electro mechanical systems,
according to the engineers.
It can be used to give high-resolution night vision capabilities to ordinary
closed-circuit TV cameras used to prevent crime, in medicine to detect cancer
growth and by the military.
The development, which took three years, is important because countries that
already possess such technology have been reluctant to share key data.
Only the United States, Britain, France, Japan and Israel posses uncooled
infrared imaging technology. South Korea has had to rely entirely on foreign-made
key components for infrared equipment.
ETRI said the latest breakthrough is also significant because local researchers
used amorphous silicon (a-Si) as the basic infrared receiving material instead of
vanadium oxide (VO2), which is already patented by the United States and Israel.
"This means that the country does not have to pay royalties in this field," an
ETRI researcher said. He said with more work, South Korea should be able to catch
up with global leaders in two to three years.
The global market for uncooled infrared imaging devices is expected to reach US$1
billion this year, with the local market alone to hover at 20 billion won
(US$13.2 million).
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)
SEOUL, Feb. 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korean engineers said on Tuesday they have
developed a high-tech infrared imaging device that has wide-ranging civilian and
military applications.
The joint effort by the state-run Electronics and Telecommunications Research
Institute (ETRI) and i3system Co. of Daejeon permits users to see clearly objects
and people that are up to 1 kilometer away in dark rooms and at night.
Unlike "cooled" infrared imaging machines, which require a separate refrigeration
device or liquid nitrogen to freeze the crucial imaging chip to minus 196 C, the
"uncooled" quarter video graphics array device can operate at room temperatures,
is much cheaper and can be made lightweight.
The system merges an arrayed infrared receiver with sub-micron size semiconductor
technology and micron-level integrated micro-electro mechanical systems,
according to the engineers.
It can be used to give high-resolution night vision capabilities to ordinary
closed-circuit TV cameras used to prevent crime, in medicine to detect cancer
growth and by the military.
The development, which took three years, is important because countries that
already possess such technology have been reluctant to share key data.
Only the United States, Britain, France, Japan and Israel posses uncooled
infrared imaging technology. South Korea has had to rely entirely on foreign-made
key components for infrared equipment.
ETRI said the latest breakthrough is also significant because local researchers
used amorphous silicon (a-Si) as the basic infrared receiving material instead of
vanadium oxide (VO2), which is already patented by the United States and Israel.
"This means that the country does not have to pay royalties in this field," an
ETRI researcher said. He said with more work, South Korea should be able to catch
up with global leaders in two to three years.
The global market for uncooled infrared imaging devices is expected to reach US$1
billion this year, with the local market alone to hover at 20 billion won
(US$13.2 million).
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)
