Infrared Imaging Components for Use in Automotive Safety Applications

The six project partners in the ICU consortium represent some of the world’s leading organizations in their fields of expertise. They also represent different levels in the value chain. Successful completion of the project will create European industrial exploitation opportunities.

KTH-Royal Institute of Technology is responsible for one-third of Sweden’s capacity for engineering studies and technical research at post-secondary level. KTH conducts top-notch education and research of a broad spectrum - from natural science to all branches of technology, including architecture, industrial economics, urban planning, work science and environmental technology.

The Microsystem Technology Group (MST) at KTH has long experience in the area of MEMS, uncooled infrared bolometer arrays and wafer level packaging. In the ICU project, KTH-MST is project coordinator and working with IR bolometer design and the 3D bolometer integration process.

Autoliv develops and manufactures automotive safety systems for all major automotive manufacturers in the world. Autoliv has developed an infrared vision enhancement which is in production with BMW. Autoliv has built a dedicated full-scale production unit for assembling and testing of the camera system.

Acreo is a Research Institute with close connection to Universities and Industry. Acreo works in the field of electronics, microelectronics and optics. Acreo provides resources for developing, refining and transforming research results into industrially viable products. 25 engineers and researchers are currently working within the field of nanoelectronics. MEMS and IR detectors are key technologies where Acreo has more than 15 years of experience. Acreo has developed Infrared Focal Plane Arrays using QWIP- technology, an activity which recently has been spun off into its own company. Acreo has access to state-of-the-art design and processing resources for the development of novel detector technology. The Electrum Laboratory consist of 1500 m² clean room area with semiconductor processing equipment for silicon, III/V and wide band gap material, MEMS components and nanostructures.

Acreo has worked with research on novel bolometer concepts in cooperation with KTH for more than 10 years. Acreo has invented a new type of high performance thermistor material based on quantum well structures which will be used and further developed in the ICU project.

SensoNor Technologies AS, located in Horten, Norway, develops, produces and sells sensors and micro systems for high-volume applications worldwide. The company has delivered more than 35 million airbag crash sensors to the automotive market and is now in high-volume delivery position with its new tire-pressure sensor product line. SensoNor employs 180 people, including approximately 100 graduate engineers. The R&D group (40 persons) is engaged in the following technical areas: Front-end technology development, Back-end technology development, ASIC development, micro system simulation / modeling, design, and prototyping. SensoNor's technology platform consists of a modern, well-equipped waferfab (150 mm) with state-of-the-art process equipment, and an advanced back-end production line featuring automated leadframe assembly of sensors and ASICs, epoxy-molded encapsulation and testing.

Umicore is an international metals and materials group. Its activities are centered on four business areas: Precious Metals Services, Precious Metals Products and Catalysts, Advanced Materials, Zinc. Each business area is divided into market-focused business units. Umicore focuses on application areas where its expertise in materials science, chemistry and metallurgy can make a real difference, be it in products that are essential to everyday life or those at the cutting edge of exciting, new technological developments. Umicore’s overriding goal of sustainable value creation is based on the ambition to develop, produce and recycle metals in a way that fulfils its mission: materials for a better life.

Umicore EOM is part of the advanced materials group, and is the world market leader for Ge-based IR-optics. It has developed a chalcogenide glass GASIR® which enables high volume low cost production of IR optics. EOM enables new products for the FIR market. As previous experience it needs to be mentioned that Umicore has developed a high volume GASIR® moulding process for the automotive night vision systems available on BMW, Honda and GM. These systems are high resolution systems, requiring appropriate optics, for detection at far distances (300 m).

The Department of Applied Physics and Photonics (TONA) is a research group within the Faculty of Engineering of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB). The group is internationally recognized for its basic, strategic, and applied research in the field of "micro-optics" and “micro-photonics”, and is also uniquely involved in industrially-oriented research projects.