Stand-alone thermal image sensor suitable for several applications

Atto320 brings sharply focused and accurate images, compactness and extended battery-life to handheld camera makers. The advantage of offering Atto320 as a stand-alone component is that system integrators have ultimate flexibility in configuring designs that meet their specific performance needs, enabling them to offer true product differentiation to end-users.

Other 12µ products are sold either as modules or thermal camera cores, where access to the thermal image sensor’s performance parameters is restricted.

The new fully digital Atto320, a 320x240 thermal image sensor (microbolometer), is designed with ULIS’ 12µ technology for sensor miniaturisation. It generates high-quality moving images due to the high frame rate (60Hz) and ease-of-use handling with simple calibration. These features allow users to view fast-moving objects as well as observe scenes at distances of several hundred metres. The new sensor consumes less than 220mW at 60Hz, enabling extended autonomy of more than ten hours for handheld systems.

“ULIS believes in constant innovation and is proud to announce its very first 12µ product, manufactured using its unique 12µ pixel pitch manufacturing technology,” said Sebastien Tinnes, marketing manager at ULIS. “Atto320 is the first in our next-generation 12µ product line. It showcases our expertise in developing innovative products for camera makers seeking more compactness and performance attributes that bring greater competitive advantages. This is a major step forward in our ability to fulfil our customers’ needs in optimising the cost, compactness and performance of their systems.”

By using the new 12µ technology, Atto320 can reduce the size of the optics by as much as 50%, translating to a cost reduction of up to 20%. It is fully compatible with other ULIS products in its 17µ GEN2 imaging sensor line. This means Atto320 is easy to use, saving customers time-to-market when switching to 12µ technology.

Atto320 is suited for traditional market applications, in particular the outdoor leisure market, which is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 21%.

It combines ULIS’ product high uniformity and stability, key parameters for easy implementation and low power consumption, with performance in temperature difference detection, as low as 0.06°C (60mK thermal sensitivity).