Intevac develops and manufactures electro-optical sensors, cameras and imaging systems that permit highly sensitive detection of photons in the visible and short wave infrared (IR) portions of the electromagnetic spectrum, thereby enabling imaging in extreme low light level situations. Intevac’s low light imaging expertise grew out of our prior experience manufacturing military Gen III night vision devices as a prime contractor to the U.S. Government in the 1980s and 1990s. After the sale of Intevac’s traditional Gen III image intensifier product line to Litton (now Northrop Grumman) in 1995, the company focused on the development of new, state-of-the-art digital video sensors for a variety of “dual use” military and commercial imaging applications. While the primary focus of Intevac’s efforts has been towards creating new products to enable the U.S. Military improve its nighttime warfighting capability, we have also leveraged our core sensor technology into other government, scientific, medical and industrial imaging markets.
Intevac’s core sensor technology, known as EBAPS® (Electron Bombarded Active Pixel Sensor), is based on use of a III-V semiconductor photocathode in proximity focus with a high resolution, backside-thinned, CMOS chip anode. The electrons emitted by the photocathode are directly injected in the electron bombarded mode into the CMOS anode, where the electrons are collected, amplified and read out to produce digital video directly out of the sensor. The idea behind the EBAPS sensor is to obtain state-of-the-art night vision performance in a smaller, lighter and lower cost package by eliminating the complex components associated with traditional image intensifier assemblies.
Intevac’s extreme low light imaging products include the LIVAR®, or Laser Illuminated Viewing and Ranging, target identification cameras and systems, and the NightVista® family product line of low light level cameras and sensor modules.
LIVAR® is designed to positively identify targets, which have been detected but not identified by other systems at long ranges, such as thermal cameras and radar. LIVAR is a range-gated, laser-illuminated, two-dimensional imaging system that operates in the “eye-safe” wavelength band. LIVAR system operation is simple. When LIVAR is coupled with a thermal (or FLIR) camera, for example, the FLIR detects possible targets at long range, while also providing a high-quality, wide field-of-view image for situational awareness. Having detected a possible target, a laser rangefinder is fired to determine target range and set the range gate and illumination footprint for the LIVAR imager. A second laser illumination pulse is then fired, and the reflected laser energy from the object under observation is collected and imaged onto the LIVAR camera’s photocathode that is “gated on” to collect only from the target area of interest. This, in turn, is presented as an instant high-resolution image on the imaging system display.
Intevac’s NightVista® cameras and sensor modules are designed for imaging in the visible and near-infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. They incorporate the identical photocathode technology that is used in today’s state-of-the-art Gen III night vision goggles. The NightVista products were initially developed through the U.S. Department of Commerce National Institute of Standards and Technology as commercial low light level surveillance/security cameras. They are currently being advanced through development programs with the U.S. Government to achieve superior performance for applications such as digital night vision goggles, avionics helmet-mounted display systems, and weapons sights.
Intevac’s Commercial Imaging Group is developing new camera products based on Intevac’s patented photocathode and electron bombarded imaging technology for use in the physical, life science and industrial markets.
Elements of Intevac’s proprietary solutions include:
