METAX LIMITED

Metax has been selling instruments and components to the electro-optics market in the UK for over twenty-five years.  The company was originally established in 1942 to supply materials and components to the dry battery industry.  In the nineteen sixties Metax changed direction and concentrated its efforts on the optical physics market.  The first optically related products, high intensity ultraviolet lamps, were sold by Metax in 1968.  More optical and electro-optical products followed and  Metax has establish itself as a major distributor to the optical / electro-optical market.  Metax has been responsible for introducing and establishing many of today's market leaders such as Newport Corporation, Melles Griot, and EG&G electro-optics (Now PerkinElmer Optoelectronics).   As a specialist distributor Metax is constantly looking at ways of better serving its customers and is proud of its product support and after sales service.

LIGHT MEASURING INSTRUMENTS

The range of  light measuring instruments offered by Metax covers wavelengths from the  UV to the Far IR and  includes instruments from a simple hand held photometer (Lux Meter) to specialized spectroradiometers capable of high sensitivity UV-B measurements at one end of the spectrum, through to night vision (NVIS) compatibility measurements and out as far as 14 microns at the other.   Also included  in the range are diode array and CCD based spectrum analyzers which can make measurements in as little as 20mS.    Polarization analyzers are also offered and these are particularly suitable for stress birefringence and determination of the Jones/Mueller matrix.

MILITARY ELECTRO OPTIC SENSOR TEST SYSTEMS

Metax has represented CI Systems Ltd for over twenty years and their instruments and systems have achieved significant recognition in the field of military E-O sensor measurement and test. Products include complete FLIR, CCD and laser test systems, Spectroradiometers and Blackbody sources.     The military E-O system testing experience of CI Systems is considerable and  engineers are available to help and advise on the use of CI test systems for all levels of testing.   CI's E-O test systems are supporting sophisticated military sensors all over the world.  These range from relatively simple Go/No-Go FLIR field test systems, fully automatic system verification, boresight alignment systems,  depot level test systems to a series of  technically complex and advanced research test and measurement systems helping scientists and engineers develop the next generation of military E-O sensors. 

CALIBRATION INSTRUMENTS AND SYSTEMS

Metax has always supported the instruments and systems it has supplied and calibration services where necessary have long been offered.  Calibrated Radiance and Irradiance traceable sources are available as is the service of re-calibration. CI Systems blackbody equipment calibration is offered in terms of  automatic traceable calibration kits for in situ calibration (both thermal and radiometric) or  as an equipment calibration service.    Wavelength calibration sources can also be supplied ranging from ultra violet to far infrared.

INSTRUMENTS FOR R&D

Although most of our instruments can be used in the test and the R&D departments we have some specialist instruments which are best described as the tools of the scientist. These include:  Remote sensing Spectroradiometers with interchangeable pre-aligned detectors allowing the instrument to measure from UV through to 14 microns during field trials.  An Imaging Spectroradiometer which can display a spectrum from each pixel in a scene. The flexibility of the front end allowing applications as diverse as camouflage - a soldier in a forest, to microscopic cell biology - chromosomes identification in a blood sample.  From an every day routine measurement to that special R&D need, remember  that Metax is synonymous with accurate light measurement.

OPTICAL & ELECTRO-OPTICAL COMPONENTS

Over the years Metax has established contacts with specialist companies all over the world, some small, some large, but all with a special talent for making a quality optical component.  Consequently Metax supplies a large range of optical and electro-optical components to its customers.   These include: Detectors, Special Lamps, Lenses, Windows,  Mirrors, Beamsplitters, Prisms, Wave Plates, Optical Filters etc.  Filters are a good example of the variation in types of optical component Metax supplies. Filters range not only in wavelength (from UV to 14 um) and physical size but in type - variable (both ND and wavelength), narrow band, wideband, colour separation, longwave pass, shortwave pass the variations seem endless and that's only the filters. If you have an optical component need - ask Metax for the ideal price/performance solution.

LIGHT SOURCES UV-VIS-IR

The first electro-optical product sold by Metax Limited was a mercury short arc lamp. This type of intense UV lamp is still stocked and sold primarily into the photolithography field today.  Other sources available include xenon lamps - both pulsed and continuous types, low pressure mercury, zinc, cadmium and phosphor coated spectral lamps, Helium-Neon lasers and  blackbody sources covering the temperature range -35oC to +1,200oC.  Standard tungsten lamps, UV Deuterium lamps and high emissivity blackbodies together with their associated power supplies and controllers  also form the back bone of the traceable calibration sources available from Metax.