BFi OPTiLAS and Amplification Technologies Inc, a subsidiary of Powersafe technology (PSFT), are proud to announce their exclusive European Distribution Partnership.
BFi OPTiLAS is the largest Photonic distributor in Europe and Amplification Technologies has developed a new approach for the detection of low-level signals - multichannel Discrete Amplification (DA) - that allows the simultaneous attainment of very high gain, high speed and ultra-low excess noise in a silicon or InGaAs device.

The Discrete Amplification (DA) involves three basic functions: Distributing individual signal electrons into a separate independent amplification channel, Amplifying each individual signal electron in a separate channel to a readable charge packet and Reading the amplified charge packets.
The benefits of that unique technology include Single photon level sensitivity, Wide spectral range, Relatively flat spectral sensitivity curve, Excellent voltage and thermal stability, High photon detection efficiency, Wide dynamic range, Fast response, high reliability and low production cost.

It can provide a new performance level to many applications such as PET Scanners, Medical Imaging, Fluorescence Detection, High Energy Physics, Spectroscopy, Biological Sensors, Ladar and Lidar, Homeland Security, Confocal Microscopy, Night Vision and many others.

About PowerSafe Technology Corp. (PSFT) Based in New York, PowerSafe Technology Inc. (www.psftinc.com), through its wholly owned subsidiary Amplification Technologies, (www.ampti.net) seeks to transform the field of low-level signal detection. The company’s patented platform semiconductor technology has the potential to offer unparalleled and far-reaching benefits to industries such as medical diagnostics, drug development, scientific instrumentation and homeland security. The technology has been successfully used to develop extremely sensitive detectors of low levels of light and the company believes its detectors will be used in many existing applications as well as open up new markets. ATI’s technology is patented to encompass detection of signals other than light, and could in principle be used to create highly sensitive biological, radiological, electrical, and chemical sensors.

BFi OPTiLAS is proud to announce a European partnership agreement has been signed with Telops.

Hyperspectral Spectroradiometers
FIRST Hyper-Cam is a lightweight and compact hyperspectral-imaging sensor using FT-IR technology. It provides unparalleled spatial and spectral information about the IR targets under measurement.
With its integrated calibration system and electronics FIRST Hyper-Cam can be used in a standalone (and unmanned) configuration for over 24hrs.
The standard hardware interfaces make the sensor easy to use. The unit is Compact and portable for field use and provides: Wide field-of-view and high spatial resolution, Variable spectral resolution, down to 0.25 cm-1 , Integrated calibration targets that ensure accurate measurements, Simultaneous visible imaging.

Applications include:

Airborne
• Hyperspectral mapping of the ground or atmosphere

Military
• Standoff chemical detection and identification
• Signatures of rockets, missiles and flares

Environmental
• Leak detection
• Pollution monitoring
• Forest fire monitoring

Research/Lab
• Geology/minerology studies
• Surface and emissivity studies
• Gaseous cloud studies

New BreezeACCESS EZ wireless equipment squeezes down cost of delivering personal broadband access to remote network users

Hartlepool Borough Council rolls out major European implementation of BreezeACCESS EZ gear, providing broadband access at home to disadvantaged children

The cost to network owners of providing wireless broadband access to remote users has fallen with the launch in the UK of the new BreezeACCESS EZ product from Alvarion.

BreezeACCESS EZ consists of a central access unit and individual subscriber units for each user. The subscriber unit includes a wireless radio and integrated 17dBi flat-panel antenna attached to an external wall. Each subscriber unit can provide full-duplex throughput of up to 12Mbps, supporting demanding applications such as VoIP. The maximum distance from access unit to subscriber unit is 8 miles. The devices operate in the unlicensed 4.9GHz - 5.875GHz band.

While the radio technology has been proven in previous BreezeACCESS products, the simplicity of installation and configuration of the new EZ product represents a breakthrough in cost-saving for network owners.

The subscriber units are extremely easy to install: the antenna does not require a line of sight to the access unit - simple visual aids ensure correct antenna alignment. In addition, the system is very well integrated with the Windows networking environment, which means that initial configuration of each user is quick and easy.

The system is well suited to enterprise users, campuses and public services, which want to avoid the high cost of installing permanent cabling, and which might require periodic removal of subscriber equipment and reinstallation in another location.

Ian Stevens, of Alvarion’s UK representative BFi Optilas, said that BreezeACCESS EZ is a cost-efficient, easy-to-implement solution for WISPs (Wireless Internet Service Providers) and municipal authorities operating in licence-exempt spectrums. He said: “BreezeACCESS EZ is extremely easy to set up - it is as close to plug-and-play as you can get today with metropolitan-area wireless broadband equipment.”

A major roll-out of BreezeACCESS EZ equipment has now begun in Hartlepool, where the borough council is using it to provide broadband access to disadvantaged children as part of a government programme to extend the learning environment to the home. Six hundred units are planned to be connected by July 2008.

The use of BreezeACCESS EZ has enabled Hartlepool Borough Council to pare the cost per connection. The cost of initial installation is low. In addition, initial configuration is simple, and does not require the involvement of highly-qualified and expensive network engineers.

The same economies apply when subscriber equipment needs to be removed and redeployed elsewhere, providing the council with the flexibility to provide access equipment to the right user at the right time.

Peter Lowe, Service Director at Northgate Information Solutions - Hartlepool Borough Council’s IT partner - said, “BreezeACCESS EZ really is incredibly quick and easy to set up - a subscriber unit can be installed in less than an hour. And our staff have found the configuration process very straightforward when working in a Windows environment.”

He said that Northgate had felt confident selecting Alvarion equipment because the company is a market leader in the field, and the performance and reliability of its equipment is proven.

TREK, INC., a designer and manufacturer of high-voltage power amplifiers and high-performance electrostatic instrumentation, has introduced a new High Voltage Power Amplifier - Trek Model PZD350A - which offers wide bandwidth and additional features important in piezoelectrics, electro-optics, MEMS and other applications. Compared to other linear amplifiers in the marketplace this new model from Trek offers a unique combination of capabilities which enhance its versatility and utility.

The wide bandwidth of Model PZD350A, for both large signal and small signal levels, in combination with Trek’s industry-leading technology for precise control of output voltages, enable the PZD350A HV amplifier to address the specific need for high speed and fast settling when driving capacitive loads in piezoelectric driving/control, electro-optics, MEMS and other demanding applications such as laser modulation and ion beam control.

The PZD350A provides a large signal bandwidth of 250 kHz (-3dB) and a small signal bandwidth greater than 350 kHz (-3dB). This bandwidth capability is especially important in new piezo and piezo-stack applications, which require the high current levels as provided by this new amplifier from Trek. The fully protected output of Model PZD350A enhances the utility of this unit in piezo and other reactive load applications by assuring that the amplifier is safe-guarded from incidental short circuits, arcing or energy return from the load device.

The PZD350A design offers outstanding DC stability, high speed and precise control of output voltages (DC or peak AC) in the programmable ranges of 0 to +/-350 V with an output current range of 0 to +/-200 mA (bipolar model); 0 to +700 V with +/-100 mA (unipolar model); 0 to -700 V with +/-100 mA (unipolar model). An alternative PZD350A “M/S” design offers twice the current capability of the standard PZD350A models.

The industries and commercial applications that will benefit from the advancements enabled by Model PZD350A are diverse and include: aerospace, biotechnology, defense, military, power, energy, laboratory, instrumentation, semiconductors, electronics, and others.

Like all Trek amplifiers, this High Voltage Amplifier Model PZD350A offers: DC stability, wide bandwidth, well-regulated and controlled AC output signals, and full four-quadrant, class AB, all-solid state output stages. The four-quadrant, active output stage sinks or sources current into reactive or resistive loads throughout the output voltage range. This is essential for achieving the accurate output response and high slew rates demanded by reactive loads.

Other technical parameters for the Model PZD350A include DC accuracy better than 0.1% of full scale and slew rate greater than 500 V/μs (+/-350 V range) or 350 V/μs (700 V range). The unit has precision voltage and current monitors. It is also CE marked.

BFi OPTiLAS is proposing in all Europe the new FieldPRo5XS continuous zoom thermal imager, made by Axsys Infrared Systems (Nashua, USA).

With outstanding long range target detection and recognition, the FieldPro5XS combines exceptional performance with Axsys reliability and ease of use. Built around a high sensitivity 640x480 pixels (15μ-pitch) cooled InSb detector, this camera operates in the MWIR (3-5 microns) Bandwidth. The waterproof housing, graded IP67 is environmentally sealed and dry nitrogen backfilled. The 5X continuous zoom Germanium Lens covers Medium (5°) to Narrow (1°) Horizontal Field of View.

This camera can detect a man in full night up to 8 km away, and a vehicle up to a distance of 19km.

Trek, Inc. (a designer and manufacturer of high-performance electrostatic instrumentation and high-voltage power amplifiers), recently introduced a High Voltage Power Amplifier (Model 40/15) which, by providing up to 80 kV peak-to-peak (±40 kV), delivers the highest level of output voltages for any amplifier in its class. The Model 40/15 HV amplifier is the first of its kind to achieve such high voltage ranges along with high performance capabilities typically available only with lower voltage units. The 40/15 offers outstanding DC stability, high speed and precise control of output voltages in the range of 0 to ±40 kV DC or peak AC with an output current range of 0 to ±15 mA DC or peak AC. It offers exceptional stability and wideband performance, with high slew rates over a wide range of AC signals, together with low-noise operation.
Research applications for the 40/15 include electrostatic deflection and dielectric studies. Other applications include research in the fields of plasma chemistry, electrostatic levitation, electrostatic coatings and partial discharge.
Like all Trek amplifiers, this High Voltage Amplifier Model 40/15 offers: DC stability, wide bandwidth, well-regulated and controlled AC output signals, and full four-quadrant, class AB, all-solid-state output stages. The four-quadrant, active output stage sinks or sources current into reactive or resistive loads throughout the output voltage range. This is essential for achieving the accurate output response and high slew rates demanded by reactive loads.
Technical parameters for the Model 40/15 include: output voltage range of 0 to ±40 kV DC or peak AC; output current range of 0 to ±15 mA DC or peak AC; DC accuracy better than 0.1% of full scale; slew rate greater than 350 V/μs; DC offset adjustment from 0 to ±40 kV; adjustable current limit or current trip; precision voltage and current monitors. The unit is CE marked.

Distributed in UK, France and Italy by BFi OPTiLAS, Fairchild Imaging (USA) is proposing a line of very low-noise, multi-port, cooled scientific cameras based on world re-knowned Fairchild Imaging very large CCD sensor, 4096x4096 pixels, and 15μ pitch. All the cameras are cooled down to -60ºC with thermoelectric or cryogenic coolers. There are 2 models of cameras based on this CCD.

Peregrine486, available in either front-illuminated or back-illuminated version, is proposed with a vacuum flange for connection to special optics or to vacuum chambers.

• Condor486 is available with different bonded fiber optics (tapers or faceplates).
• Condor 486:90 features a 1:1 fiber taper that provides a 90mm diameter faceplate
• Condor 486:135 features a 1.5:1 fiber taper that provides a 135mm diameter faceplate, and the unique Condor 486:200 features a 2.2:1 fiber taper that provides an incredible 200mm diameter faceplate!

Fairchild Imaging scientific cameras find widespread use in such varied applications as electron microscopy, high throughput screening (HTS), micro array and microtiter plate analysis, non-destructive testing (NDT), x-ray crystallography, x-ray inspection and other high-performance imaging applications.

All These cameras are now available for with USB-2 digital interface for an easier connection to PC.

BFi OPTiLAS, thanks to its collaboration with Trek, Inc. (a designer and manufacturer of high-performance electrostatic instrumentation and high-voltage power amplifiers), recently introduced the TREK Model 900 ESD Event Detector. This detector is a diagnostic tool for manufacturing environments that are sensitive to electrostatic discharge (ESD), including electronic, semiconductor & medical device manufacturing and assembly. Electrostatic discharge events are important indicators of excessive charge accumulation in a given environment. Such charge accumulation (electrostatic charging) can be detrimental to ESD-sensitive manufacturing and assembly processes such as those found in the semiconductor industry. ESD can also be a concern in the manufacture of electronics and other devices, including sensitive medical electronics, microelectronics, liquid crystal displays (LCDs), hard disk drives, microelectronic mechanical systems (MEMS), and in various sectors of the electronic manufacturing services (EMS) industry.

Trek's ESD Event Detector is a diagnostic tool used to identify incidents of or verify suspected areas of ESD activity within a manufacturing site. A voltage-sensitive antenna on the unit can be positioned near potential problem areas (where electrostatic discharge is suspected) to monitor ESD events. Detection is conveyed via an audible buzzer and/or a visual color-coded light display which depicts intensity.

By detecting ESD events, Model 900 serves to alert manufacturing engineers to the presence of potentially harmful (and invisible) electrostatic charging. Such identification is often the first step in managing ESD. Once alerted to its presence, action can be taken to rectify the situation and thereby improve overall efficiency, yield and productivity.

Model 900 is compact, portable and is powered by batteries. A universal power adapter can be used for continuous AC line operation. Model 900 is also CE compliant. The technical design of the unit provides a wide spatial operating range with high sensitivity.

Trek's Model 900 is designed for Charge Device Model (CDM) events which are becoming the major contributor to ESD failures, in connection with increases in the automation of manufacturing processes.