Raptor Photonics Launches Revolutionary PentaVac™ Technology

Raptor Photonics, a global leader in the design and manufacture of high performance digital cameras has launched a revolutionary new vacuum technology called PentaVac™.

PentaVac™ is a small vacuum chamber in a lightweight, self-contained package housing an imaging sensor. Proprietary sealing techniques and advanced multistage getters assembled in a Class 100 Cleanroom environment ensures a guaranteed vacuum lifetime with a mean time between failures of 100 years.

According to Mark Donaghy, Raptor’s VP of Sales & Marketing, “Camera companies today are using vacuum technology developed in the 1940s in order to cool the sensors in their cameras. We looked at this from a different perspective. Using space age materials and techniques we have developed a brand new vacuum system that delivers maximum efficiency, maximum cooling and maximum lifetime.

“PentaVac™ delivers 5 key benefits to our customers:

1. Deep cooling down to Δ-111°C will minimize dark current as well as minimize hot spots and blemishes during longer exposure times.
2. Long lifetime using multi-getters will enable integrity and longevity of sensor performance.
3. Small and lightweight design means our cameras fit easily into your set-up.
4. Rugged design and tested to MillSpec standards operating in a range of extreme environments means our cameras will work in the harshest conditions.
5. Low power meaning better efficiency for easier set-up and integration for OEMs and Instrumentation companies.

PentaVac™ will start appearing across our range of cameras in 2013. We will be launching a vacuum version of the Kingfisher incorporating PentaVac™ technology at Photonics West in early February, with other cameras to follow” he continued.