Tempus begins mass production of micro infrared sensors
5 million units already delivered to domestic companies
FDA approved, ready for export to the US


As demand for non-contact thermometers increases due to COVID-19, a domestic company has collaborated with an organization to successfully mass-produce a key component for the product.

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㎛), which are advantageous for human body detection, by utilizing the principle of thermal power generation due to the temperature difference at the contact point of two different metals.

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

The non-contact temperature measurement infrared sensor that was successfully mass-produced this time increased yield by applying the semiconductor compatible process provided by the Nano Convergence Technology Institute and simplified 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 proprietary non-contact thermometer, preparing to export to the U.S.

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

Go Seo-gon, Director General of Basic Research Policy at the Ministry of Science and ICT, said, “In order to foster technological independence and promising companies 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 need and expand support.”