PRESS RELEASE
(25th August 2006)
1550 nm IR Camera Gets USA Patent

Applied Scintillation Technologies (AST) has been awarded a USA Patent (No.7075576) for its compact, low cost CamIR1550 infra-red camera.  The product now has patents in both Europe and the USA.  AST Sales & Marketing Director, Stuart Quinn, said: “The CamIR1550 uses our highly specialized knowledge of phosphor selection and coating techniques to offer a highly cost-effective alternative to IR cameras with specially processed detectors. This lightweight portable system has high sensitivity (to 0.2 µJ/cm2) and is optimized between 1500 and 1600 nm, making it ideally suited to applications in the telecommunications industry.”

Physically smaller than a 2” cube, the camera can be used with or without a lens to provide real time imaging, with no image lag or fade. Applications include on and off-site beam finding from communications band emitters, laser alignment of positioning machines, imaging optical outputs of high speed fibre optics and other components, and device alignment. The real time imaging signal is available in either PAL/CCIR or NTSC/EIA formats.

The CamIR1550 has an optional hand-held display which transforms it into a self-contained system for use anywhere in the field, with over three hour’s operation time on a single battery charge. The hand-held unit incorporates a 2.5" LCD TFT display with 112k pixels giving high quality grey scale images from the camera. Tuned partial sensitivity in the ultra-red region of the spectrum allows the scene to be illuminated using a lamp or torch whilst maintaining sensitivity at 1550 nm.

AST also manufactures the CamIR Adapter which can be used to enable standard CCD cameras to image in the 1496-1595 nm wavelength range. This conversion optics module is inserted between a large format lens and a CCD camera to give an instant imaging system, converting the 1495-1595 wavelength band to Si-based CCD detectable wavelengths.

Note to editors
Applied Scintillation Technologies, part of the Levy Hill Group Ltd, is a leading provider of advanced imaging and detection solutions using the latest in phosphor and scintillation technology. Our extensive knowledge and expertise enables us to supply a diverse range of application-focused products for both standard and customised solutions in a number of markets including medical and dental imaging, security screening, biosciences, non-destructive testing and scientific instrumentation markets.

AST has received both SPUR and SMART awards for research projects to help continued development for innovative, high quality solutions and products.

Press Enquiries:
Denis Bulgin
In Press Public Relations Ltd, PO Box 24, Royston, Herts, SG8 6TT.
Tel: +44 (0) 1763 262621 Fax: +44 (0) 1488 73773
E-mail: denis@inpress.co.uk.  Internet: www.inpress.co.uk

Other Enquiries:
Stuart Quinn
Applied Scintillation Technologies Ltd 8 Roydonbury Industrial Estate Harlow CM19 5BZ
Tel: +44 (0)1279 641234 Fax +44 (0)1279 413679
Email: s_quinn@appscintech.com.  Internet: www.appscintech.com