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PMD technology
The sensing technology is based on the “time-of-flight” principle. The time it takes the transmitted light from the sensor to travel to the object and back to the sensor is directly proportional to the distance traveled. The sensor incorporates a smart-pixel receiver element that is a “System-on-Chip” design. Both sensor element and signal evaluation electronics are integrated on a 0.25mm square CMOS silicon chip called a Photonic Mixer Device (PMD). The integration of PMD technology on a system-on-chip has enabled ifm efector to produce a distance measurement sensor in a housing that is smaller and less expensive than traditional systems. The sensor is a visible red Class II laser and features integrated extraneous light suppression.
Traditional time-of-flight sensors use a photodiode as receiver element. Additional external electronics is used for signal acquisition and processing. This sensor design is expensive, large in size and therefore often not suitable for industrial position sensing.
Advantage: This innovative design by ifm offers maximum performance in a compact, industrially compatible housing - at a fraction of the price of traditional systems.
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Schematic illustration of the PMD "Smart Pixel". |
Heart of the innovative "Smart Pixel" receiver element – PMD. |
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