Fully Calibrated High Accuracy MEMs Infrared Temperature Sensor

TESSENDERLO, Belgium, June 23, 2011 -

Melexis today launches its 3^rd
generation of contactless MEMs infrared temperature sensors. The
high accuracy of the newest member of the MLX90614 family makes it
suitable for limitless applications in automotive, medical,
industrial and consumer markets.

12 years ago Melexis pioneered MEMs contactless infrared
temperature sensors. This family of successful MEMs sensors is now
built into dashboards of cars to guide the HVAC system.  It is
used in ear- and forehead thermometers, microwave ovens, green air
conditioning systems, process control and maintenance systems,
medical blood analyzers and mobile phones.

A common problem in the use of infrared thermometers is the
error induced due to fast temperature variations and/or thermal
gradients. Melexis is able to reduce this effect by 2 orders of
magnitude using our built-in compensation technology. This
technology is based on the use of a secondary sensor to measure the
thermal disturbances and compensate the measurement result with
internal digital electronics. In this way our thermometers can be
used in environments where most other infrared sensors fail.

Luc Buydens, Product Line Manager Non-Contact Thermometers at
Melexis comments: “Our customers tell us that a high accuracy is an
absolute requirement. Therefore Melexis delivers the sensors
factory calibrated, making them plug and play thermometers: they
read out a complete temperature signal, ready to use in their
application. Furthermore our products comply with the high
automotive and medical standards”

The new MLX90614ESF-DCH and MLX90614ESF-DCI incorporate a
refractive silicon lens to achieve small fields of view (down to 5
degrees) so small objects can also be measured from further
distances. Furthermore they are able to measure human body
temperature with a high medical accuracy over a wide operating
range. In this particular application the accuracy is 0.2degrees C.
This makes them ideal for forehead thermometers and public area
fever scanning gates.

The parts are available in a standard setting TO-39 footprint
with integrated lens. Samples and production volume are available.
 

Rik Moens, rmo at melexis.com, +3213670780