Uncooled Infrared Cameras and Detectors

Thermography and Vision Markets 2010 2015

MEMS Micro-Bolometers Drive Growth

REPORT SAMPLE

2010

Report Contents (1/2)

Table of content Glossary Companies quoted in this report Definitions Market research scope and methodology Executive Summary Noteworthy News 2010 & 2009 Overview of IR detection technologies
IR technologies wavelength segmentation Infrared imaging functions IR detection functions : vision enhancement, thermography Infrared wavelength, functions and markets IR detectors technologies Cooled and uncooled IR Detectors : Two approaches -Thermal & Quantum IR detection IR Detectors classification & corresponding materials Technologies vs. wavelength vs. players Players & technologies for uncooled IR imagers Conclusions on IR technologies FLIR thermography segmentation evolution IR thermography cameras supply-Chain Main thermography trends for 2015

p8 p28

vision enhancement commercial markets

p72

vision enhancement camera 2015 forecast in revenues and in units IR vision enhancement cameras (without automotive) supply-Chain Surveillance CCTV : Big CCTV players are adopting the thermal IR technology Surveillance CCTV Maritime Fire fighting Automotive vision enhancement IR automotive vision enhancement cameras supply-Chain Automotive vision enhancement : NIR vs FIR detection Some luxury car models with vision enhancement NIR Driver Assistance System(Bosch example) Automotive vision enhancement trends : toward pedestrian safety systems Two major European R&D projects for IR vision enhancement system enhancement (NVE) Automotive vision Adose/Bosch project FIR & NIR complementary visions Conclusion on Automotive vision enhancement Automotive Airbag Passenger presence detection (PPD) Other vision enhancements applications

IR uncooled camera market analysis

p45

IR detectors /microbolometers market analysis

p95

Uncooled IR cameras 2015 for market forecast in value ($M) and in units Uncooled IR camera business models and trends Main IR cameras manufacturers positionning Uncooled IR cameras players and trends Camera pricing evolution Comparison with CMOS image sensor evolution IR camera and microbolometer vision for 2020

Thermography markets

p55

2010

Thermography camera market 2015 forecast in revenues and number of units Thermal imaging camera categories Thermal imaging camera market players and 2009 market share Predictive maintenance (electrical, mechanical) Building inspection Other thermography applications Thermal imaging camera sales mix and pricing (2009) Applications per type of products (Breakdown in revenues, 2009) Positioning of main IR cameras manufacturers products range IR camera manufacturers positionning Portable test & measurement market : strong synergies with thermal imaging market

Uncooled IR detectors : Microbolometer is the leading technology Microbolometer market 2015 forecast in value ($) and in units Microbolometer production sites Current microbolometer players : a concentrated market Microbolometer manufacturers 2009 market shares in units Current microbolometer manufacturers products line : higher resolution as a Holy Graal 2009 market estimation by detector format Microbolometer main formats per markets Microbolometers : pixels size and format trends IR microbolometers price decrease aSi and Silicon based microbolometer market drivers Microbolometer European new comers The Sweden IR detector cluster Current microbolometer players : geographical production breakdown New microbolometers manufacturers products line : Array size & pitch size New comers time to market a-Si microbolometer technology roadmaps Uncooled IR camera price breakdown IR microbolometer supply chain with peripheric players

Report Contents (2/2)

Microbolometers description

p116

Appendixes
Uncooled IR players

Quantum (cooled) vs. Thermal detector What are microbolometers Microbolometer roadmap Microbolometers principle VOx microbolometer pixel array : FLIR Systems Indigo from Extech i5 Infrared Camera VOx Microbolometer Technology history a-Si vs. VOx Ulis/Leti collaborative roadmap Microbolometer technology process flow New approach by Sensonor Process flow New approach by Bosch

Company profiles
Main IR cameras manufacturers positionning FLIR systems (US) L3 communication profile UFPA merchant supplier : Ulis NEC Avio SCD Fluke profile (US) Testo profile (DE) IRISYS (UK) SATIR Europe (IR)

p166

Microbolometers technical evolution

p134

Technical evolutions for microbolometers Major technical developments per players Microbolometer WLP/WLO & monolithic ROIC players roadmap Simplified optics & WLO Simplified optics & Wafer Level Optics (WLO) What is Wafer Level Optics (example from the CIS industry) source SUSS MicroTEC Simplified optics & WLO WLO from ICU project New pixel materials New pixel materials : Mitsubishi example New pixel materials : Why QW SiGe/Ge Main technical develoments per players : 3D Integration 3D Integration : Example of loophole configuration FLIR Systems Indigo from Extech i5 Infrared Camera 3D Integration 3D ROIC / loophole: the different approaches New Approach from Fraunhofer IMS Monocrystalline Diode Bolometer made by low temperature direct wafer bonding 3D Integration 3D IC Integration of Si/SiGe IR Bolometers with ROIC Packaging : Required hermeticity for micro bolometer Packaging : Wafer Scale Packaging Packaging : Pixel-level WLP Microbolometers testing Example of test results Conclusions on the microbolometers technical evolutions

Uncooled IR detector technologies Other approaches

Nanobolometer from Tyndall Low cost microbolometer at Mikrosistemler Ltd. Thermopiles arrays Thermopiles FPAs Ferroelectric BST (Barium Strontium Titanate) FPAs microcantilever (Multispectral Imaging, now Agiltron) Photo emission approach by Agiltron Photo emission approach by Sirica RedShift Systems (out of business since end 2009) Quantum films by InVisage Technologies (NIR only)

P177

Yole Dveloppement

p200

Conclusions 3

p159

2010

Definitions
An infrared thermal camera is a thermal system which converts infrared (IR) radiation into a visible image. Main parts of an IR camera :

Camera

Camera core
(with electronics and IR window)

Detectors
(Uncooled Focal Plane Array - UFPA)

Pixel (each
sensor retina has 1 000s of pixels)

Cores are the modules that include detectors + optics + electronics Detectors are called UFPA (Uncooled Focal Plane Arrays) or IR sensors. A detector can have various formats (1024 x 640 to 47 x 47) and pixel pitch (usually from 17 to 40 in 2010)
4

2010

Scope and Methodology

Market research scope
The report surveys the Long Wave Infrared (called LWIR or FIR) uncooled camera and detector markets. Highest growth applications for the future are in the commercial business, hence the report has focused on this field.

An overview of the Near Infrared (NIR), Short Wave Infrared (SWIR), and medium wave infrared (MWIR) technologies and markets is also presented.
The report does not detail military applications.

Methodology:
This research has been prepared based on :
Primary information sources : direct interviews with companies all along the value chain (detector manufacturers, camera manufacturers, camera distributors, final users). Secondary information sources : conferences, web sites, newsletters....

2010

IR Technologies
wavelength segmentation
0.72 1.4 3 5.6 8 10 14 1000

NIR

SWIR

MWIR

LWIR

Far IR

Infrared technology spectrum ranges from NIR to LWIR wavelengths. Each part of the spectrum provides different information and target different markets :

2010

NIR (Near IR) : active vision enhancement (need a NIR light source) SWIR (Short Wave IR) MWIR (Medium Wave IR) : active vision enhancement, material analysis LWIR (Long Wave IR) called also FIR (Far IR) : Thermography and passive vision enhancement (no need for light source)

Thermography Markets

Predictive maintenance

Building inspection

Other thermography applications : R&D, medical, process control,

2010

Vision Enhancement
commercial markets

Maritime

Automotive

Security & surveillance

Military and others

2010

Fire Fighting

Thermography & Vision Enhancement Forecast

$4 000 $3 500 $3 000 $2 500

$M

$2 000 $1 500 $1 000 $500 $0

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2010

IR Cameras
key manufacturers positioning
Thermography Commercial vision enhancement Military vision enhancement

Military companies Vision specialists Thermography companies

Generalist camera companies

2010

10

Uncooled IR Detectors
microbolometer is the leading technology
Uncooled IR detectors technologies sales breakdown 2010

5%
Microbolometers (VOx and aSi)

95%

Other detectors technologies (BST, thermopiles)

It is expected that microbolometers will be even more dominant in the future thanks to new market entrant with microbolometer technologies. Alternative detector technologies have failed for the moment (Redshift abandon) and will not likely catch up with the microbolometer
2010

11

Technical Evolution
Technical evolution for microbolometers are at 4 different levels: IR optics, packaging/ROIC integration and at the pixel level. Main motivations are to reduce cost and to increase integration. At the IR optics level:
Polyethylene window Wafer Level Optics

At the packaging level:

Wafer Level Packaging Pixel level packaging

At the pixel level:

Retina ROIC pads

Pixel size reduction New materials (than VOx, aSi) New design

ROIC

At the integration level: Integration technology

3D TSV Loophole New functions integrated by software (temperature compensation,
one-point temperature measurement)

2010

12