Lambert Instruments

Lambert Instruments specialises in intensified high-speed cameras. High-speed cameras require a higher brightness of the object, the higher the frame rate the shorter the exposure time per frame. In many applications an increase of the illumination can compensate the shorter exposure time per frame. In the cases where the object itself is emitting light at an intensity that is too low for high-speed imaging a dedicated image intensifier is applied to intensify the image before it is projected onto the image sensor of the high-speed camera. The intensified image results in a sensor signal that is typically 10.000 times higher than without image intensifier making it much easier to resolve from the noise. Lambert Instruments applies a 2-stage image intensifier that is fibre-optically coupled to the CMOS image sensor in its HI-CAM camera. Alternatively a 2-stage or multistage image intensifier can be lens-coupled to a high-speed camera for more flexibility.

Advantages of having an image intensifier in front of a high speed camera:

• The sensitivity increases for high-speed low light applications, for example where the object itself is emitting light at an intensity that is too low for normal high-speed cameras (flames, fluorescence cells, low intensity PIV, electric discharges, etc).
• There is no need for high power light sources. On places where the heat generated by these light sources will have an unacceptable influence on a measurement an intensified high-speed camera can offer a solution.
• The possibility of ultra short exposure times. With the gating feature of the image intensifier it is possible to have effective exposure times down to 40ns or even 5ns. This makes it possible to capture even the fastest objects without motion blur.