Miniaturization as a Guiding Principle
Microoptical precision for sensors – made in Germany
 What makes our approach so different?
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Packing a high optical performance into the smallest possible space was one of our most important guiding principles right from the start. The optoelectronic components available on the market didn’t meet our aspirations in terms of size or performance. Thus, we quickly decided to develop our own microSPOT LEDs and the associated manufacturing technology. They allow us to offer products and services that make many a competitor jealous.
With this unique, patented manufacturing process, we are capable of optimally designing the optical components for every sensor according to the respective application without complicated simulations or one-time tool costs. Despite their minute dimensions, the LEDs, photodiodes, and phototransistors we produce are of outstanding optical precision.    In an automated process, for every element – whether it’s an LED or a photodiode – the microoptical components are cast in a freeform process and individually compared with a predefined optical result in the formation step. A powerful image detection system reliably ensures the exact coordination of all process steps. Thus arise precision components with extremely low variation. This technology was developed to the stage at which we were able to transfer it to laser diode modules. We use a highly flexible process to fabricate a large number of standard products with the most diverse unique features out of these components, which also put us in a position to generate custom solutions faster, cheaper, and more reliably than all of our competitors can. Read the following sections to find out exactly how we do this. |
Optoelectronic components
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LEDs, the most important components for miniaturized optical sensors, are available in countless variations, but nearly all of them are made for lighting and display purposes. In huge quantities. Admittedly at very low prices. For this, from the point of view of the sensor manufacturer, simply with unsatisfactory optical properties.
The microoptical components from STM, in contrast, seem to come from another dimension ...
The LEDs, photodiodes, and phototransistors we make in-house are already completely coordinated optical units featuring low size, outstanding imaging quality of the light beam, high uniformity, and low manufacturing tolerance.
A combination of transmitter and receiver elements already defines a complete sensor in its basic form. For the construction of a powerful optical sensor from our elements, no additional parts (such as lenses, apertures, or filters) are needed. The optical properties greatly exceed those of off-the-shelf components.
Anyone using simple, low-cost components knows that boresight errors of up to 30° are no rarities. At STM, however, the axis error is less than 1°. 
In the microSPOT series, LEDs with opening angles of 3° are manufactured; in the nanoSPOT series, peak values of a mere 1° are achieved with 2-mm (approx. 0.08-inch) optical components. With perfectly round light points. The residual divergence of our miniature laser modules is 1 mrad.
... and, most importantly, the manufacturing tolerance is minimal.
That’s why more and more sensor manufacturers are relying on our components!
Go straight to the details about these products. |
Miniaturization
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The classic procedure taken for miniaturization is simply the method of a “stepwise reduction in size.” Proven technologies such as injection molding, mounting, or assembly processes are driven beyond the currently valid limits with every new product generation. Decisive is this: The design process remains essentially unchanged over all stages of development. Thus, there are no real leaps in development.
What we did instead was to take a completely different path ...
Each of our precision optoelectronic components (LEDs, photodiodes, phototransistors) is already an independent optical unit taking up the smallest space. To turn them into a sensor, the components only have to be supplemented by suitable control and analysis electronics. This is normally done through direct mounting on the board. Whether it is a proven STM module or your own electronics doesn’t matter.   If the sensor has to be especially small, the connection element can also be a highly flexible miniature electrical cable and the amplifier positioned separately. At any rate, the housing and its shape, the material used, etc. are of secondary importance and can be selected freely within wide limits. In the way that best suits the application. |
Perfect modular system
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Due to the extraordinary qualities of our own microoptical LEDs, photodiodes and phototransistors our wide range of products is based on multiple, high-performance component assemblies that we can combine in nearly an infinite number of ways to make them fit into every application.
While others are fiddling around with microadjustments, optical synchronization, etc., with our modular kit, we only have to connect the selected transmitter and receiver elements to a power supply cable or directly to a board. The housing mainly has a protective function and serves as a mount for the sensor. Accordingly, the user has the greatest possible freedom in selecting a housing shape and materials for customized solutions.    Just draft the housing shape and mounting type that is best for you. We will integrate the right microoptical components ... nearly as fast and as cheaply as for a standard product. It hardly matters if you are in the next city or on the other side of the world. |
High vacuum – application
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Through our unique modular design approach, we can easily design optical sensors for use in a high or ultra high vacuum. All of the materials used are then selected according to the user’s approval.
An added advantage is that through the minimal installation dimensions of our sensors, none of the valuable chamber volume is lost.
MICROmote sensors with separate amplifiers are ideal for optical applications in high vacuum. The sensor heads are tiny and can be shaped according to nearly any user specifications. For our microoptical components, we only use materials approved by NASA for aerospace applications. In small quantities due to our sensor sizes.     Teflon-insulated AWG32 cables can be easily laid inside the vacuum chambers without taking up too much room. Contacting is done on the inside via commercially available “feed-throughs” such as are available in every system anyways. The entire critical analysis electronics are then installed outside of the vacuum chamber – where they are easy to operate and read.
Vacuum-compatile optosensors are mostly customized solutions. Here you will find some examples. |
After reading all of this, are you asking yourself what good our technology is for you?
Every application conceals its own special challenges. Sometimes they are obvious. But usually they aren’t. Does this apply in your case, too? Contact us! We would be happy to visit you and help you look for the best solution for your application problem.
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89 66637 112
