Over the years, LR Tech has developed different types of custom detectors, including multi-pixels detectors. Contrarily to conventional arrays, these multi-elements detectors offer a larger pixels size while offering some spatial information. Combined to different fast scanning spectrometer, they allow a better sensitivity which result on an improved detectability, even at a long range target.
These arrays are composed of 64 elements (8X8 pixels) with a total surface area of 3X3 mm. The first array is based on a Photo-voltaic Mercury Cadmium Telluride (MCT) detector with a spectral range of 800 to 5000 cm-1. The second unit developed has a similar configuration, but is based on the Indium Antimonide (InSb) technology which offers an increased sensitivity in the range of 1800 to 5000 cm-1.
These detectors are coupled to an FTS (Fourier Transform Spectrometer) with an appropriate acquisition system which offers a near real time calibrated response of the scene under observation.
The main advantage of such a configuration is that it offers the capability to acquire information about the target as well as the background simultaneously, without any compromise on the sensitivity at a high scanning rate (up to 90 scans/sec. at 16cm-1 spectral resolution).
