Tempus mass-produces micro infrared sensors
5 million units already delivered to domestic companies
US FDA approved, US exports imminent


As demand for non-contact thermometers increases due to COVID-19, a domestic company has succeeded in mass producing key components of the product through collaboration with an organization.

Tempus announced on the 17th that it had succeeded in mass producing a ‘micro infrared sensor for non-contact thermometers’ through joint development of mass production technology with the Nano Convergence Technology Institute, a semiconductor testbed organization.

The micro infrared sensor (thermopile) is a real-time temperature measurement sensor that detects far infrared rays (8-14㎛) that are advantageous for human body detection by utilizing the principle of thermal electromotive force generated by the temperature difference at the contact area of two different metals.

Tempus, established in September 2012, is a company housed in the Nano Convergence Technology Institute. As demand for non-contact temperature measurement skyrocketed due to the spread of COVID-19, it began developing mass production technology for infrared temperature sensors for thermometers.

The non-contact temperature measurement infrared sensor that was successfully mass-produced this time applied the semiconductor compatible process provided by the Nano Convergence Technology Institute to increase yield and simplify the process to enhance price competitiveness.

Tempus has already supplied 5 million temperature sensors to domestic and foreign thermometer manufacturers, and on the 15th of this month, it received official approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its temperature sensors and its independently-developed non-contact thermometer, preparing to export to the U.S.

Shin Baek-gyu A Tempus representative said, “We plan to attack the domestic and international non-contact thermometer markets with an infrared sensor that can detect infrared wavelengths ranging from 1 to 25㎛.”

Go Seo-gon, director of the Basic Research Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Science and ICT, said, “In order to foster promising companies and achieve technological independence in materials, components, and equipment as well as system semiconductors and sensors, we will strengthen the linkage between nanoinfrastructure organizations such as the Nano Comprehensive Technology Institute and companies in demand and expand support.”