News | Dexter Research Center

What is an NDIR sensor?

April 16, 2023

A nondispersive infrared (NDIR) sensor is often used as a gas sensor to detect and measure gases in the atmosphere and their concentrations. NDIR sensors work on the principle of molecules absorbing infrared light and specific wavelengths, and air samples are collected in a tube and analyzed under a light source.

NDIR sensors are highly accurate and sensitive devices used in a wide range of applications where monitoring gases and their concentration is crucial. This includes industrial safety, environmental monitoring, and medical applications. In this blog post, we provide an overview of NDIR sensors and discuss their benefits and applications.

NDIR Sensors Working Principle

Some of the most common gases measured with NDIR sensors include carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, methane, and sulphur dioxide. These gases can be lethal or explosive in high concentrations, so monitoring them is critical in many applications and environments. Gas sensors, such as NDIRs, require a sample chamber, an infrared detector, and an infrared light source.

The sample chamber is placed between the light source and the detector and contains the gas sample that needs to be analyzed. The light source emits an infrared light through the sample chamber and the detector reads how much light passes through. Gas molecules react with infrared radiation and the ratio of radiation energy to incident energy is depends on the gas concentration. The gas sensors measure the gas concentration by monitoring the decrease in transmitted infrared light.

Applications of NDIR Sensors

NDIR sensors can be used in almost every industry for a wide range of monitoring applications. They can be used in breathalyzers to measure blood alcohol levels, identify refrigerent leaks and monitor toxic gases in dangerous environments. In this section, we look at the environmental and industrial and medical applications of NDIR sensors.1

Environmental Monitoring

Monitoring gases is required in many environmental situations, such as monitoring emissions from industrial processes, measuring indoor air quality, and gas concentrations in ambient air. They are ideal because of their high sensitivity and accuracy, but can be impacted by humidity and temperatures, which may require corrective action.

Industrial Applications

In industrial settings, NDIR sensors play a crucial role in keeping personnel and environments safe from toxic or explosive gase as they are highly sensitive to target gases. For environments such as manufacturing plants, they are a cost-effective and reliable solution to ensure worker safety.

Medical Applications

Hospitals also use infrared sensors to monitor gas concentration levels in anesthsia machines to ensure patients are safe during operations.

Advantages of NDIR Sensors

There are a number of advantages to using NDIR sensors in gas monitoring applications. They are low maintenance solutions that offer long-life performance. Other advantages include the following:

Cost-efficient
High accuracy and sensitivity
High selectivity to target gases
Monitor a range of gases

Although NDIR sensors require a higher upfront cost, their advantages contribute to a lower life-time cost as they offer accurate and reliable gas monitoring over a long period of time. As technology advances, NDIR sensors will be developed further for more advanced monitoring applications.

Dexter Research Center

Dexter Research Center offers a wide selection of infrared gas and temperature detectors that provide a reliable, stable performance for longer. Our products have been used in environmental and industrial monitoring applications, hospital anesthetic monitoring and NASA space missions, and we continue to develop high-quality, reliable devices for clients around the world.

To learn more about NDIR sensors and their applications, contact a member of Dexter today!

References

azosensors.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=675

What Are Miniature Amplifiers Used For?

Miniature amplifiers are crucial components in electronics because they are compact, lightweight, and can be easily integrated into various systems across a range of industries. Mini or micro amps, as they are also known, are used when power options are limited, and space efficiency is vital for the application. Amplifiers are used in scientific research and development applications to support fast startup times, minimal noise, and reduced buffering in scientific instruments and systems.

An Overview of Miniature Amplifiers

Miniature amplifiers play an important role as they help to enhance small or weak input signals. Amplifiers work by converting an input signal into a large format to increase the current, power, or voltage of a signal, which is a crucial process in electronic circuits. Amplifiers rely on power from an existing electrical source, which can be used in various applications such as medical devices, personal and commercial audio equipment, and scientific instruments.

Applications of Miniature Amplifiers

Many electrical applications benefit from amplifiers, especially miniature amplifiers for smaller or more intrinsic systems. Miniature amplifiers are commonly used in data acquisition systems and medical devices, image and signal processing equipment, spectroscopy and audio/video processing equipment, and electrophysiology research to amplify signals and speed up processing times.

Other key applications of miniature amplifiers include the following:

Multiplexing of a number of thermopiles
Thermopiles are non-contact sensors used to measure temperature and specific gases. However, they have a high series impediment that requires identifying gas or temperature across a wide range of parameters. This application requires amplifiers with minimal to no noise and the capability to enhance low signals.
Gas analysis

Amplifiers are used in gas analysis to enhance the signals transmitted through the equipment. Miniature amplifiers reduce noise and improve signals, which leads to more precise gas analysis and higher repeatability of results.

Non-Contact Temperature Measurement

Non-contact temperature measurement is a key application for miniature amplifiers in the sensing solutions industry. These sensors detect the infrared radiation emitted by an object, which is directly proportional to its temperature. However, the output can be extremely weak. Miniature amplifiers enhance the weak input signals received by the sensor, increasing the voltage and current of the signal for a more accurate temperature measurement. This is particularly important in applications where temperature measurement accuracy is critical, such as in medical devices or scientific research.

Dexter Research Center, Inc. and Miniature Amplifiers

Dexter Research Center, Inc. was founded by the leading thin-film and materials expert Robert Toth, Sr., to provide world-class infrared sensing and detect-and-manage solutions for companies worldwide. We provide our clients with a wide range of non-contact temperature sensors and thermopile thin-film and silicon-based products, in addition to ever-evolving thermopile detectors.

We currently offer a Miniature Amplifier PCB, available in three amplifier gains (300, 500, and 1,000) for a range of thermopile applications. The PCB comes with a cable, connector, and 1.25V voltage reference with the option of adding a temperature sensor. The amplifier has an extremely low offset, drift, and bias current for significantly reduced digital switching noise. The PCB was designed to support fast startup times in research and development instruments.

For more information on how miniature amplifiers support a range of applications, please get in touch with a member of Dexter Research today.

Tiny Infrared Sensors Will Play Key Role In Determining Human Survivability In Space Colonization

December 22, 2011

Among the 2.9 tons of mission critical supplies delivered to the International Space Station by the Progress M-13M spacecraft in early November were two tiny but critical infrared thermopile sensor detectors from Dexter Research Center, a Michigan company located just west of Ann Arbor.

The combined weight of the precision non-contact infrared sensors from Dexter Research, the ST-60 and the 2M, is less than an ounce.

The International Space Station is intended to be a laboratory, observatory and factory in space, as well as a staging base for possible future missions to the Moon, Mars and asteroids. The successful launch and docking determined that the International Space Station will remain open for business in the wake of the retirement of the US Space Shuttle vehicles.

Space weather, space medicine, human research, life sciences, astronomy and meteorology are among the research conducted by a six-person crew that was successfully resupplied by the rocket launch. Data is being gathered on the effects of long-term space exposure to the human body, advancing NASA’s understanding of muscle atrophy, bone loss and fluid shift.

The Dexter Research infrared sensor detectors provide a low power source of data collection within a new and more effective radiometric diagnostic device for droplet combustion experiments. The NASA package as delivered is expected to be installed and operational early in 2012.

According to NASA, the Combustion Integrated Rack “is used to perform combustion experiments in microgravity. The CIR can be reconfigured easily on orbit to accommodate a variety of combustion experiments. It consists of an optics bench, a combustion chamber, a fuel and oxidizer management system, environmental management systems, and interfaces for science diagnostics and experiment specific equipment. For diagnostic purposes, five different cameras are available for use by the investigator. The CIR features a 100-liter combustion chamber surrounded by optical equipment and diagnostic packages, including a gas chromatograph. Experiments are conducted by remote control from the Glenn Research Center (GRC) Telescience Support Center (TSC).”

The data generated by the Dexter Research detectors and other sophisticated equipment will be used to determine whether lengthy human space flight and space colonization are feasible.

Since 1977, Dexter Research has been the preferred provider of infrared thermopile detectors for science and industry. Today, the company offers the world’s largest selection of thermopile-based solutions including high quality, high-output Bismuth-Antimony thin film and silicon-based infrared-sensing thermopile detectors. Known for their industry-leading reliability and durability, as well as superior signal characteristics, Dexter Research infrared sensor detectors have flown on previous Space Shuttle missions and have mapped the Ozone layer of the Earth as well as being deployed across the automotive, medical, biomedical, fire suppression, and temperature sensor industries.

Other information on the International Space Station and Progress M-13M spacecraft may be found at:

http://www.photonics.com/Article.aspx?AID=49912

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/CIR.html
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2011/11/progress-successfully-docks-iss-stage-set-return-manned-soyuz-flight/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Space_Station

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progress_M-13M

Test Confirm that Dexter Research Detectors Perform to MIL-Spec

October 3, 2011

DEXTER RESEARCH PRODUCT LEADERSHIP PART DEUX:

TESTS CONFIRM NEXT GENERATION IR DETECTORS PERFORM TO MIL-SPEC

Dexter Michigan, October 4, 2011 — For thirty-five years, Dexter Research thin-film infrared detectors have been the most reliable and durable solution for non-contact infrared sensing. Withstanding up to 1000G’s of mechanical shock and 30G’s of random vibration, these tiny wonders can provide non-contact temperature sensing accuracy up to 0.1°C.

No wonder Dexter detectors have been frequent passengers on NASA Space Shuttle flights and served as the chosen detector for military combat vehicle and combat aircraft fire suppression systems.

Now intensive MIL-STD-883H testing performed by Trialon Corporation, an independent testing facility, confirms that Dexter Research’s silicon-based detector family meets the same rugged requirements of 1000G for mechanical shock and 30G in random vibration.

The MIL-STD-883 MIL-spec testing protocol establishes rigorous uniform methods, controls and procedures to test microelectronic devices for their suitability for use in military and aerospace electronic systems. The testing also determines survivability in the harsh environmental conditions that characterize military and space missions.

“This testing demonstrates that Dexter Research has been able to transfer its industry-leading reliability, durability and performance to its next generation silicon infrared detectors,” said Rob Toth, President of Dexter Research.

Dexter Products that set this benchmark for MIL-Spec reliability and durability are Models ST-60, ST-120, ST-150 and S60.

All testing at Trialon is supported by a signed Test Report outlining the equipment name, model number, calibration due date, tolerance, setup, and method of test. All tests were performed at prevailing site altitude, at a room temperature of 20°±5°C (68°±9°F). Humidity temperature cycle testing was in accordance with MIL-Spec 810C.

For more information, email DetectAndManage@DexterResearch.com or call Kurt Hochrein at +1 734 426-3921

New High Temperature Detector

May 18, 2011

Dexter Research Center announces the availability of its new ST60 High Temperature Detector. The silicon-based detector is available in a TO-5 package with an operating range from -50°C to 225°C. The new high performing detector has an active area of 0.61mm x 0.61mm and can withstand operating temperatures of 225°C., a full 40°C more than its nearest competitor.

The new High Temperature detector offers exciting performance opportunities in non-contact temperature measurement applications such as work piece monitoring in ovens, heat gun target monitoring and fire detection/suppression in extreme environments. A new filter attachment technique provides hermeticity that makes the detector rugged and reliable in hostile environments and eliminates the need for shielding and/or cooling in high temperature applications.

A volume manufacturer, as well as the global center of expertise for infrared detectors since 1977, Dexter Research Center, Inc., Dexter, Michigan, offers more than 900 product configurations and continues to lead the industry in the design, development and production of high quality, high output thin film and silicon-based infrared sensing thermopile sensors.

New Temperature Sensor Module with Digital Output

July 27, 2010

Dexter Research Center announces the availability of its new MD Series Temperature Sensor Module. The sensor is integrated with signal conditioning that reliably produces a calibrated temperature output in a plug and play package, with options. Programmable outputs and flexible supplies yield a turnkey solution for medical, consumer, commercial and industrial applications.

The module has better than 0.5°C repeatability in the range 0-50°C and its standard calibration covers a wide temperature range; -40 to 85°C for ambient temperature and -70 to 310°C for object temperature.

Also available is the Temperature Sensor Module Evaluation Board. The board is designed to support the Temperature Sensor Module, quickly allowing customers to configure the Module for different temperature ranges, optics, etc. to find the best configuration to meet their application needs without the need to design any additional hardware.