e2v's objective is to be a global leader in the design and supply of specialised components and sub-systems that enable the world's leading systems companies to deliver innovative solutions for medical and science, aerospace and defence, and commercial and industrial markets.
e2v has 4 major product groups:
e2v makes a significant contribution to medical diagnostics and therapies, medical and scientific imaging, X Ray spectroscopy, linear accelerators, high energy physics and, through a new bioscience company created as a spin out from the Technology Group, medical and scientific sample analysis. Dental OEMs incorporate our intra-oral sensors within digital dental x-ray equipment used in human and animal medicine. The flexibility offered by in-house design, fabrication and packaging of Imaging CCDs allows for bespoke variations to be created to OEM specifications.
e2v's hydrogen thyratrons, magnetrons, isolators, electro magnets, spark gaps, compact modulators and integrated microwave modules can be found in medical therapy equipment - linear accelerators in radiotherapy machines used for cancer treatment, lasers for eye surgery, microwave endometrial ablation equipment and MRI scanners. Standard and L3Vision™ (low light) CCD sensors are incorporated in video cameras used in drug discovery work by pharmaceutical companies, gene sequencing, disease diagnosis, physical science and forensics.
e2v scientific instruments supplies energy dispersive x-ray detectors for use in high resolution x-ray spectrography equipment worldwide. Applications are found in the fields of electron beam (EDS, EDX), x-ray fluorescence (XRF, TXRF and mXRF) and particle induced materials analysis.
e2v's hydrogen thyratrons, magnetrons, electro magnets, klystrons, IOTs, spark gaps and IOT amplifiers are used in linear accelerators and high energy physics. They find application in x-ray non-destructive testing, cargo screening, particle accelerators and colliders, inertial confinement fusion and laser fusion.
e2v's contribution to technological development is nowhere more significant to the future than in aerospace and defence.
Designed to survive the stresses of launch into space on satellite missions and continued operation in this harsh and unforgiving environment, e2v sensors are chosen for use in the most demanding and high-profile missions by the world's leading space agencies – NASA, ESA and CSA.
Each sensor or array, for use in the visible or non-visible spectrum, is custom designed for purpose. Whether investigating black holes, providing detailed information on climate change or confirming the existence of a previously undiscovered planet our technology has provided many of the images that have opened the eyes of the world to space.
e2v's sensors are also crucial to the development of astronomy and are specified for use in direct imaging, wavefront sensing and astronomical spectroscopy.
e2v RF and sensing technologies make a major contribution to maintaining civilian and military safety. Our L3Vision™ technology is used on ground based, naval and airborne platforms for day/night reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquistion. e2v magnetrons, TWTs, microwave receiver components and high voltage modulators are used in airborne, ground based and naval radars.
Helix TWTs and microwave components are incorporated in Electronic Counter Measures devices - including towed decoys. Various forms of packaging optimise applicability for different requirements and broadband devices have been proven to withstand both high temperature (up to 250 degrees C) and very high levels of shock and vibration.
Rugged, reliable satcom amplifiers are essential for the military and e2v's long experience and expertise is highly valued by defence customers.
e2v's technology also finds wide-ranging missile related applications, from RF seekers and receiver components to ESAUs (Electronic Safety and Arming Units) and EFIs (Exploding Foil Inititiators) qualified for use in many UK/European systems and compliant with UK, NATO and US military standards.
e2v not only supplies the RF and sensing technology underpinning many areas of commercial and industrial endeavour worldwide; it also maintains a commitment to innovation that supports and enables product development for its customers in this sector.
The broadcast communications industry has long relied on e2v products: triodes and tetrodes for radio transmitters; Klystrons, IOTs and ESCIOTs as the power source behind digital and analogue UHF TV transmitters; Thyratrons as an essential component of the crowbar transmitter protection circuitry and e2v flyaway, truck based and fixed satcom amplifiers to ensure reliable uplinks.
Radars for small boats, harbours and small aircraft are supplied by manufacturers the world over who use e2v magnetrons as the source of microwave power and many other supporting e2v products.
For RF drying, and both induction and dielectric (capacitance) heating applications - especially in the developing world - our gridded tubes are a reliable source of power.
e2v gridded tubes are also used for DC and RF excitation of industrial lasers, with thyratrons and spark gaps drivers for CO2 and Eximer lasers.
High power LINAC magnetrons help to keep our air and sea ports safe by providing the microwave energy required for effective cargo screening.
Expertise in sensing technology has won e2v many customers. Our gas sensing heads (electrochemical, pellistors and non-dispersive infra red) are supplied to OEMs for incorporation in sensing instruments that protect workers in hazardous environments everywhere, from petrochemical plants to mining. The Automotive industry also benefits; e2v microwave semiconductor diodes and Gunn diode Voltage Controlled Oscillators are core incorporated in both Adaptive Cruise Control and ‘next generation' microwave vehicle alarm systems.
Fire services also rely on e2v technology: thermal imaging cameras are in use in over 30 countries and our REDS (Radio Evacuation Distress System) is sold globally through partner companies.
In October 2008 e2v completed the acquisition of QP Semiconductor, based in Santa Clara, California, USA and the largest US based fabless semiconductor firm serving the military, aerospace and high reliability industries. During the past decade, the company has evolved into the leading semiconductor company that designs, re-engineers and provides a full range of manufacturing capabilities to extend the life of classic ICs for a host of mission-critical programs. The company focuses on providing replacement hermetic parts for DMS (Diminished Manufacturing Sources) and EOL (End of Life) products.
e2v has supplied image sensors for the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite, GOES-O, which launched on 26 June 2009. GOES-0 is the latest in a series of satellites that monitor Earth and space weather systems, in order to improve predictions regarding hurricanes, flash floods and severe storm warnings, and to help track global climate change.
e2v supplied 20 flight model and 20 engineering model CCDs (charge coupled devices) for GOES-N, O and P. Destined for the spacecraft's new Solar x-ray Imager (SXI), designed and built at the Lockheed Martin Space Systems Advanced Technology Center in Palo Alto, California, the imaging devices were supplied in a custom designed package. e2v worked closely with University College London's Mullard Space Science Laboratory (MSSL) and Lockheed on the design, characterisation and supply of the e2v CCDs for this programme.
e2v's CCD64 has an image area of 512(h) x 580(v) pixels; each pixel is 16.0 µm square. The devices are back-illuminated to an optimised device thickness, in order to ensure the maximum x-ray mean charge capture performance of the devices. SXI utilises a telescope assembly, which monitors the sun's x-ray emissions. This allows solar features, such as solar flares and charged particle clouds to be analysed and fed into space weather forecasts.
e2v's performance in support of the SXI programme was recognised by Lockheed, who presented e2v (and MSSL) with a ‘superior performance' award. The new CCD package design concept for GOES-N-P has since become a standard that was repeated on the Focal Plane Package for Solar-B and more recently the Solar Dynamics Observatory. Further launches are planned for SXI on future GOES satellites.
Jon Kemp, General Manager of Space & Defence Imaging at e2v said “e2v is delighted to have received a ‘superior performance' award for delivering world beating image sensors to this important mission and we look forward to continuing to work with Lockheed and MSSL on current and future projects.”
e2v has over 30 years of experience in the design and manufacture of both standard and highly customised, high performance image sensors and cameras. e2v manufactures CCD, EMCCD, and CMOS area and line scan image sensors for a variety of markets; with technical capabilities including back-illumination, high speed, low noise, high quantum efficiency and sensitivity to photon wavelengths from X-ray through near-IR. e2v routinely provides image sensors for the most demanding applications in space, astronomy and scientific imaging; as well as medical, industrial machine vision, security and professional broadcast and Digital Still Camera (DSC) markets.
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