2 Thermal

Although DMD devices are capable of operating at these shorter wavelengths, the devices are not completely impervious to the higher energy content. DMD array temperature becomes an increasingly important factor when operating in the UVA portion of the spectrum since higher temperatures increase the sensitivity to the higher energy photons.

UVA DMD data sheets requires keeping DMD array temperatures at or below 30°C, with 20°C to 25°C being excellent. This can be accomplished by using an active cooling method such as a liquid cooling system or a thermoelectric cooler (TEC). However, care must be taken to avoid introducing temperature gradients greater than 5°C between any two points on the package or between any point on the package and the DMD array.

Maintaining the temperature and thermal gradient within the specifications defined in the data sheet helps promote excellent performance of the DMD when used with higher energy photons.