Shortwave Infrared Camera / InGaAs Beam Profiler BLC-SWIR 1915

I. SWIR Camera

Large-format InGaAs beam profiler: The BLC-SWIR 1915 features high resolution with 1280×1024 pixels and a pixel pitch of 15μm. It offers high-sensitivity detection capability in the 900nm–1700nm wavelength range, delivering high-definition images within this spectrum. Equipped with a built-in TE cooler, the camera exhibits low dark current and readout noise as low as 40e-. Additionally, it supports multiple gain modes and non-uniformity correction, enhancing high-definition imaging under low-light nighttime conditions. Its compact size, lightweight design, and ease of integration make it highly versatile.

SWIR stands for Short-Wavelength Infrared, often referred to as short-wave infrared. SWIR typically refers to light within the wavelength range of 900nm to 2500nm. Since standard silicon sensors have an upper limit of around 1000nm, SWIR imaging requires sensors and camera components capable of operating in the short-wave infrared range, which exceeds the capabilities of silicon. Indium Gallium Arsenide (InGaAs) sensors are commonly used for SWIR imaging, typically covering the range of 900nm to 1700nm. However, InGaAs devices are inherently expensive and face challenges in scaling to smaller pixel pitches and higher-resolution arrays.

Unlike long-wave infrared (LWIR) light, which is emitted by objects themselves, SWIR or short-wave infrared light behaves similarly to visible light, with photons being reflected or absorbed by objects, providing the high contrast necessary for high-resolution imaging. While LWIR imagers produce blurrier thermal images, SWIR imagers deliver high-resolution images, much like visible light cameras.

III. Applications of SWIR Camera

SWIR imagers are used in various applications, including silicon wafer inspection, laser beam analysis, hyperspectral imaging, chemical and plastic sensing, machine vision imaging, agricultural sensing, surveillance systems, and medical imaging. They can also be employed in facial recognition sensors for mobile phones and imaging for autonomous vehicles in obscured environments.