CO₂ Sensors

The non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) CO₂ sensors developed by Senseair, a group company of Asahi Kasei Microdevices (AKM), achieve high accuracy despite their compact size and feature low power consumption that enables battery operation.

With growing interest in indoor air quality (IAQ) in recent years, these sensors are suitable for portable air quality monitors as well as for visualizing the air environment in homes, classrooms, office buildings, and retail spaces. In airtight office buildings, these sensors contribute to both energy savings and comfort by measuring CO₂ concentration and controlling HVAC ventilation. In automobiles, adjusting the ventilation rate according to in-cabin CO₂ concentration can reduce HVAC load and improve fuel efficiency or electric power consumption.

As a key technology supporting these sensors, AKM also provides the main components used in NDIR-type CO₂ sensors, including infrared LEDs, infrared sensors, and analog front-end ICs with built-in IR LED drivers. The infrared sensor offers high sensitivity, fast response, and a compact package, and incorporates an optical filter that transmits only the absorption spectrum of the target gas, enabling high-performance gas detection.