Ion Optics offers high-intensity IR emitters for use in NDIR gas sensors and infrared beacons which provide:

	Broadband Infrared Light source from 2 - 20 µm
	Pulsed or continuous operation
	Large Temperature modulation in pulsed mode
	Superior LWIR (8-12 µm) Power
	High Signal-to-noise ratio
	Shot-to-shot repeatability
	Long term stability
	Many Package and window options
	Available Evaluation Kit for rapid evaluation in your system

Large Temperature Modulation

Ion Optics offers a new class of electrically-pulsed, high intensity infrared radiators for gas analysis, spectroscopy and calibration. These radiators feature a low thermal-mass filament tailored for high emissivity in MWIR (2-5 µm) and the LWIR (8-12 µm) bands. Efficient in-band emission permits operation at wavelengths > 8 µm at temperatures several times cooler than tungsten bulbs and gives a radiator life of many years. This patented, high-efficiency device minimizes drive power, greatly reducing parasitic heating of detectors and optics; it also eliminates the mechanical choppers, permitting a sealed optical path.

Large Temperature Modulation

The high emissivity of the ion-beam-treated radiator surface enables it to efficiently and rapidly cool via thermal radiation. The infrared image (middle right) shows an Ion Optics source being electrically pulsed; the hot filament (left image) nearly cools to background temperature (right image) before the next pulse, thus providing several hundred degrees of temperature modulation. While the image pair (below right) shows a traditional light source which must be run many times hotter than the Ion Optics source. The package heats up considerably and the apparent IR temperature difference between the "on" and "off" phases of each pulse becomes only a few degrees.

The Technology in the Infrared Filaments

The emissivity of these metal filament infrared sources is enhanced and controlled by creating random surface texture (micron scale rods/cones). This texture modifies the reflection and absorption spectra relative to that for a flat filament of the same material. For wavelengths small compared to the feature sizes, the surface scatters most incoming light, therefore it has low reflectivity (the filaments appear visibly black), and by Kirchoff's law, it must also have high emissivity (>80%). For wavelengths long compared to the feature sizes, the surface still looks like flat metal and it therefore has low emissivity, characteristic of the flat metal (£ 0.1).

Evaluation Kit

The Evaluation Kit is designed to allow convenient experimentation with Ion Optics' family of infrared sources. The Evaluation Kit consists of: (a) a PC-controlled drive board producing a flat-topped current pulse of adjustable amplitude, length, and frequency; (b) Windows compatible software; and (c) the IR light source of your choosing. The kit can be run using dip selectable pre-programmed settings, or connected to a PC for user selection of temperature, pulse rate, and duty cycle.