

Chinese’s first low-definition microbolometer for integration into consumer applications.
Reverse costing with:
- Analysis of the microbolometer module, including microbolometer die, module and lens
- Detailed optical and SEM photos
- Precise measurements
- Supply chain evaluation
- Manufacturing cost analysis
- Estimated selling price
- Technology comparisons between the Guide Infrared Module, IRay RTD3172 17µm and Flir Lepton 3
Description
Founded in 1999, Guide Infrared is now a leader in infrared technology in China and in the world. After developing microbolometer dies, thermal imagers for military, industry and security, Guide Infrared and Global Sensor Technology have developed a tiny module with low pixel count for smartphones. The Guide Infrared module is a direct competitor to Flir’s Lepton3 thermal cameras and the Seek Thermal smartphone module.
Guide Infrared has a broad range of products from thermal camera plug-ins for smartphones to focal plane array detectors, cores and thermal cameras for military. All the products integrate their uncooled detector die. Today, the 17µm and 12µm microbolometers are the most used sensors in Guide products.
This full reverse costing study has been conducted to provide insight into technology design, the manufacturing cost and selling price of microbolometer detector GST117W and the infrared module with the ceramic substrate, the plastic support and the infrared lens. Guide has selected O-Film, the leader in the camera module assembly, to make the module.
The microbolometer use vanadium oxide technology and a 17µm pixel width.
The integration into a 680mm3 volume is allowed by the wafer level package technology developed by Guide. With a definition of 120×90 pixels, the microbolometer is designed for consumer low definition markets, including smartphones, pocket thermal imagers and intelligent buildings.
Along with the complete technical analysis of the microbolometer components, this report includes a technical and cost comparison between Guide Infrared Module, Flir Lepton 3 and IRay RTD3172.
Table of Contents
Overview/Introduction
- Executive Summary
- Reverse Costing Methodology
Company Profile and Market Analysis
Physical Analysis
- Summary of the Physical Analysis
- Guide Infrared Module
- Package views
- Die overview and dimensions
- Die process
- Die cross-section
- Die process characteristics
Manufacturing Process Flow
- GST117W
- Global Overview
- ROIC Wafer
- Microbolometer Wafer
- Process Flow
Cost Analysis
- Yield Explanations and Hypotheses
- ROIC Front-End Cost
- Microbolometer Wafer and Die Cost
- IR Window Cost
- Package Cost
- Component Cost
Price Estimation
Technical and Cost Comparison
- Guide Infrared Module, Flir Lepton 3, IRay RTD3172