Thermal performance characterization of a 512x512 mid-wave infrared super lattice light emitting diode projector

Abstract

In 2014, our team built the world’s first infrared LED scene projector. This system is called the SLEDS projector. It displays 512x512 MWIR images from a DVI computer interface at 100HZ. The projector has been successfully evaluated at multiple user facilities and has logged several hundred hours of operation. Thermal modelling was done to simulate the dissipation of heat in the infrared scene projector (IRSP). Current work is being done at the University of Delaware’s Scene Projection Evaluation and Research (SPEAR) laboratory to evaluate and update the thermal models. ☐ Due to the importance of the infrared detectors in today’s world, it is necessary to accurately test and characterize these detectors with a frame of reference related to the application. IR projection systems are a great way to characterize the detectors because they can be used as a high accuracy reference. ☐ Described in this work, is a 512x512 super-latticed light emitting diode system (SLEDS) operating at a frame rate of 100Hz. This system has been fully developed, tested, and corrected for non-uniformity (NUC). Stress testing and heat response characteristics are the main goals of this paper.