Fraunhofer Institute for Microelectronic Circuits and Systems

Install, solder, saw – on the Germany-wide “Girls’ Day” the Fraunhofer Institute for Microelectronic Circuits and Systems IMS in Duisburg enabled a peek behind the scenes of the research institute for interested students. For the students there was not only a lot to see, but also much to experience.

Uncooled infrared-detectors measure the thermal radiation of their environment and depicture the temperature distribution of a scene. Core of these detectors is a thermal sensor element, the microbolometer. Now the Fraunhofer Institute for Microelectronic Circuits and Systems IMS has developed a new generation of microbolometers: extra small and therefore especially affordable. The small size is a large advantage for mobile applications. These tiny sensors can be applied in, for example, helmet cameras of firefighters. The possibility to produce them cost-effective, makes them especially interesting for the mass market. Thanks to an innovative structure the new microbolometers are despite of their small size extremely efficient.