New OptoTEC® MSX Series Multistage Thermoelectric Coolers Deliver Up to 120°C Temperature Difference in Ultra-Compact Design

ROSENHEIM, Germany – March 10, 2026 – Tark Thermal Solutions (formerly Laird Thermal Systems), a global leader in thermal management solutions, today introduced the two-stage and three-stage OptoTEC® MSX series of miniature multistage thermoelectric coolers (TECs), designed for high-performance applications such as infrared sensors and X-ray detectors.

The MSX series delivers a temperature difference (ΔT) of up to 100 to 120°C in vacuum environments, with a miniature cold-side footprint as small as 2.0 x 4.0 mm and overall heights as low as 3.3 mm (two-stage) and 3.8 mm (three-stage). Built with next-generation advanced thermoelectric materials, high-temperature solders, and proprietary automation technology, the series offers a 10% improvement in cooling capacity over previous generations, enabling greater temperature differences in space-constrained optical packages while keeping system power consumption strictly within budget.

For manufacturers seeking to accelerate design cycles and reduce integration risks, the MSX series provides a seamless pathway to high-value optical TEAs (thermoelectric assemblies). By integrating the cooler directly into industry-standard TO-39, TO-46, TO-66, and TO-8 optical packages, the MSX Optical TEA helps accelerate time-to-market and improve product quality.

Key Advantages in Imaging Applications

Deep Cooling to Reduce Thermal Noise: Under vacuum and low thermal load conditions, MSX multistage coolers maintain system temperatures 60 to 80°C below ambient, significantly reducing thermal noise and improving signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). This ensures clearer images and better low-light performance in demanding applications such as machine vision, satellite imaging, astronomical observation, and high-speed inspection.

Optimized for X-Ray Detectors: The MSX series operates stably at 20 to 60°C below ambient with no outgassing, protecting sensitive vacuum environments. This makes them ideal for integration into instruments such as spectrometers, diffractometers, particle size analyzers, and portable XRF devices. By reducing detector temperature, they minimize leakage current and electronic noise, enabling more accurate material identification and structural analysis in compact X-ray systems.

Enabling More Compact Infrared Designs: Multistage MSX devices control temperatures between -20 and -80°C while integrating into compact mechanical packages. With a cold-side footprint as small as 2.0 x 4.0 mm and low stack height, they are suitable for deep cooling of micro-sized optical headers in applications such as defense, gas detection, non-destructive testing, and security.

High Performance in Miniature Form Factor: Compared to standard TECs, the MSX series delivers a 10% improvement in cooling capacity through advanced thermoelectric materials and high fill-factor P- and N-type elements. The combination of solid-state architecture and low solder void processes enhances thermal uniformity, mechanical integrity, and field reliability, enabling maintenance-free temperature stabilization with no outgassing.