Infrared Sources

Pulsable and Steady State Infrared Sources

Helioworks, Inc. has a broad capability in the design and manufacture (including coil winding) of steady state and pulsable infrared sources utilizing Tungsten, NiCr, and Kanthal filaments.  If our standard models do not meet your needs, please let us know your requirements.

Pulsable & Steady State
EP Series – Tungsten Filament

Tungsten Filament Pulsable/Steady State IR Sources

Tungsten Filament
Pulsable/Steady State

Tungsten achieves the highest temperature and power of any practical material and is therefore a valuable source of infrared emission at longer wavelengths. However, to make a source of intense infrared emission using tungsten, another protective window must be used.  State-of-the-art, patented incandescent IR sources developed by Helioworks utilize sapphire because of its high transmission in the near infrared. The uniqueness of our product is the integration of the sapphire window with the tungsten filament. This allows high power transmission in the near infrared.

Key Features:

  • Pulse or steady state
  • Long term stability
  • Desirable signal-to-noise ratio
  • Large temperature modulation in pulse mode at elevated frequency
  • Latest technology in packaging and window options

Tungsten filaments are provided in a variety of sizes to accommodate various frequency and modulation requirements. Operating temperatures up to 1900°K are standard with the EP-series source.

In the Steady State version tungsten filaments are wire wound in the form of right cylindrical coils of various diameters and length and operate with constant low voltage DC input for long life. All include gold plated parabolic reflectors and an inert gas backfill.

 

TO-8 Package
Model Pk Volts Pk Current (A) Pk Power (W) Window
EP-3872 2.20 1.10 2.40 Sapphire
EP-3962 2.60 1.05 2.70 Sapphire
EP-3963 3.00 1.00 3.00 Sapphire
EP-3964 3.50 1.00 3.50 Sapphire
EP-3965 3.50 2.00 7.20 Sapphire
EP-4317 5.00 2.10 10.50 Sapphire
DF8-65/65*
DF8-17/17*

*Dual filament IR source

Pulsable IR Sources
EF Series – NiCr Filament

NiCR Filament Pulsable IR Sources

NiCR Filament
Pulsable IR Sources

Nichrome (NiCr) filaments are made from ultra thin metallic strips. The metallic strips have a very high surface to volume ratio and thus a very short thermal time constant. They heat up and cool down or modulate very rapidly. The elements are typically attached in a series configuration to increase the overall resistance of the emitter (EF-series). This unique design avoids the problem of “current crowding” which causes uneven heating of the radiating elements often encountered with planar IR emitters.

Window options denoted by X include: No Window (X=0), Sapphire (X=1), CaF2 (X=2), ZnSe (X=3)

Key Features:
  • NiCr filament with emissivity of 0.88
  • Uniform emitting area and temperature with no “current crowding” effect
  • NiCr filaments operate at peak temperature of 700°C (973°K)
TO-8 Package
Model Pk Volts Pk Current (A) Pk Power (W) Window
EF-852X 2.00 1.30 2.60 X
EF-853X 3.00 1.30 4.40 EF-8530
EF-8531
EF-8532
EF-8533
TO-5 Package
Model Pk Volts Pk Current (A) Pk Power (W) Window
EVF-555X 1.30 1.30 1.69 EVF-555X

Add an “”R”” to include a reflector

Steady State Infrared Sources
EK Series – Kanthal Filament

ek8520lores

Kanthal Filament
Steady State Sources

Kanthal filaments are wire wound in the form of right cylindrical coils of various diameters and length. All of the Kanthal based lamps (EK-series) operate in steady state with constant low voltage DC input for long life.

Window options denoted by X include: No Window (X=0), Sapphire (X=1), CaF2 (X=2), ZnSe (X=3)

Key Features Include:

  • Kanthal filament with emissivity of 0.7
  • Window options including no window, CaF2, ZnSe
  • Internal gold plated parabolic reflector
  • Industry standard TO-3, TO-5, or TO-8 packages
  • Inert gas backfill
TO-8 Package
Model Pk Volts Pk Current (A) Pk Power (W) Window
EK-827X 1.20 1.08 1.30 EK-827X
EK-837X 1.40 1.75 2.45 X
EK-852X 3.00 1.48 4.40 EK-8520
EK-8521
EK-8522
EK-8523
EK-862X 3.50 2.40 8.40 EK-8620
EK-8621
EK-8622
TO-3 Package
Model Pk Volts Pk Current (A) Pk Power (W) Window
EK-343X 4.00 2.96 11.84 EK-3430
TO-5 Package
Model Pk Volts Pk Current (A) Pk Power (W) Window
EK-527X 1.20 1.08 1.30 EK-527X
EK-537X 1.40 1.75 2.45 EK-537X

Notes:

  • Shortened “Point Source” filaments are available for all EK-style IR sources
  • Custom IR sources are available upon request.
  • The radiometric intensity data for all of the sources were measured with a broad band thermopile radiometer having a Potassium Bromide (KBr) window.

IR Source Driver

The Boston Electronics Universal Photon Source (UPS) Driver for IR emitters and light sources

Universal Photon Source (UPS) Driver

The Boston Electronics Universal Photon Source (UPS) Driver delivers! It is a flexible, compact, low cost, configurable board, including power supply, that drives a wide range of light sources. The driver can control pulsed and CW sources, which makes it suitable for driving ultraviolet (UV), visible and infrared (IR) sources, light emitting diodes (LEDs) and lasers over a frequency range of MHz to DC.

Control is provided by easy to use PC software. The last used drive parameters are stored in the non-volatile EEPROM memory; thus, the configuration is remembered. The UPS Driver is equipped with voltage and current monitors, trigger output, power and communication inputs and anode/cathode connections for the sources.

Key Features Include:

  • Easy to use
  • Low cost
  • Simple, flexible control using dedicated software
  • Adjustable voltage driving the source
  • CW or pulsed operation—MHz to DC
  • Nanosecond to seconds repetition rate
  • Current and voltage monitor
  • Powered from USB (<0.5A) or DC supply

Universal Photon Source (UPS) Driver

Heat Sinks

Special heat sinks are used for IR emitters


Compatible Heat Sink Sockets™ are available from Andon Electronics. Click here to learn more, and here to submit your application details.