Security surveillance over large distances is now possible thanks to the infrared Dragon Dome LED from Osram Opto Semiconductors. The focused beam of this high-power IRED achieves a range of more than 100 meters. It has a compact design and does not need an external lens. With its wavelength of 850 nanometers (nm), this LED is ideal as a light source for security surveillance tasks such as CCTV (Closed Circuit Television).

Dragon Dome SFH 4783: focusing high light output into a narrow beam angle.

The Dragon Dome (SFH 4783) is the first high-power infrared LED that emits its light within a narrow angle of +/- 12°. From a current of 1A it achieves a total radiated power of 430 milliwatts (mW) and therefore a radiant intensity of 2.3 watts per steradiant (W/sr). At this radiant intensity the beam of light will have a usable range of more than 100 meters, depending on the sensitivity and field of view of the camera. Radiant intensity is measured in watts per steradiant. It indicates the light output within a solid angle segment. The high total radiated power of the IRED is thanks to state-of-the-art thin-film technology which enables the light to be extracted extremely efficiently from the chip.

This high radiant intensity benefits all applications that need strong focused light to provide reliable illumination over large distances. These include outdoor CCTV surveillance systems at border crossings and or at airports. With a wavelength of 850 nm the emitted light is well suited to camera sensors but is barely perceptible to the human eye. This means that surveillance can be very discreet.

The same footprint as other Dragon versions

The narrow light beam is produced by the deep metallic reflector and the lens of the Dragon Dome. Dr. Jörg Heerlein, Head of Product Marketing for Industrial Infrared Components explains: "The integrated lens translates into less time and expense for our customers because they do not need an external lens to focus the light. This not only reduces installation time and system costs in the relevant application, but also enables the overall design to be made extremely compact.“ The SMT (Surface Mount Technology) package, which is compatible with other Dragon designs, is suitable for reflow soldering processes and helps make handling even easier and further reduces production costs.