Infrared Range (IR) sensors are used in a variety of applications, including temperature sensing, video surveillance and motion detection. The video surveillance market utilizes infrared sensing technology for motion-based detection to improve facility security at night. Thermal cameras utilizing IR technology help airport staff quickly screen passengers to detect fever. Most recently, infrared range sensors are used to detect people’s body temperatures as a security and safety measure in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic. 

An IR sensor sends out infrared light to measure radiation (heat) in the target object and converts it into a visual image. To obtain maximum image quality, IR sensors must be cooled to overcome thermal noise, which is the difference between the target object and its surrounding environment. 

Thermoelectric coolers provide precise temperature control for IR sensors to ensure high resolution images and the capturing of maximum light spectrum in the infrared range. 

Thermoelectric Coolers

Surviving high temperature environments up to 150°C, the HiTemp ETX Series thermoelectric cooler is ideal for cooling IR sensing applications. 

Offering up to 10 Watts of cooling power in an extremely small footprint, the OptoTEC™ OTX/HTX Series is ideal for IR sensor applications with tight geometric space constraints. 

To learn more, read our application note on Advanced Thermoelectric Cooling for Optoelectronics.