Infrared:

'Infrared' (IR) light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength between 0.7 and 300 micrometers, which
equates to a frequency range between approximately 1 and 430 THz. IR wavelengths are longer than that of
visible light, but shorter than that of terahertz radiation microwaves. The name means below red, the Latin
infra meaning "below". Red is the color of the longest wavelengths of visible light. Infrared light has a longer
wavelength (and so a lower frequency) than that of red light visible to humans, hence the literal meaning of
below red.

Objects generally emit infrared radiation across a spectrum of wavelengths, but only a specific region of the
spectrum is of interest because sensors are usually designed only to collect radiation within a specific
bandwidth. As a result, the infrared band is often subdivided into smaller sections.

The International Commission on Illumination (CIE) recommended the division of infrared radiation into the
following three bands:
IR-A: 700 nm–1400 nm (0.7 µm – 1.4 µm)
IR-B: 1400 nm–3000 nm (1.4 µm – 3 µm)
IR-C: 3000 nm–1 mm (3 µm – 1000 µm)

A commonly used sub-division scheme is:

1. Near-infrared (NIR, IR-A DIN): 0.75-1.4 µm in wavelength, defined by the water absorption, and
commonly used in fiber optic telecommunication because of low attenuation losses in the SiO2 glass
(silica) medium. Image intensifiers are sensitive to this area of the spectrum. Examples include night
vision devices such as night vision goggles.
2. Short-wavelength infrared (SWIR, IR-B DIN): 1.4-3 µm, water absorption increases significantly
at 1,450 nm. The 1,530 to 1,560 nm range is the dominant spectral region for long-distance
telecommunications.
3. Mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR, IR-C DIN) also called intermediate infrared (IIR): 3-8 µm. In
guided missile technology the 3-5 µm portion of this band is the atmospheric window in which the
homing heads of passive IR 'heat seeking' missiles are designed to work, homing on to the IR
signature of the target aircraft, typically the jet engine exhaust plume.
4. Long-wavelength infrared (LWIR, IR-C DIN): 8–15 µm. This is the "thermal imaging" region, in
which sensors can obtain a completely passive picture of the outside world based on thermal
emissions only and requiring no external light or thermal source such as the sun, moon or infrared
illuminator. Forward-looking infrared (FLIR) systems use this area of the spectrum. Sometimes also
called the "far infrared."
5. Far infrared (FIR): 15 - 1,000 µm (see also far infrared laser).

NIR and SWIR is sometimes called "reflected infrared" while MWIR and LWIR is sometimes referred to as
"thermal infrared." Due to the nature of the blackbody radiation curves, typical 'hot' objects, such as exhaust
pipes, often appear brighter in the MW compared to the same object viewed in the LW.

Table 1: Wavelength Range for Different Spectrums.

Spectrum Wavelength range
Visible Spectrum 0.4-0.7 µm (micro meter / micron)
Near Infrared (NIR) 0.7-1.0 µm (micro meter / micron)
Short-wave Infrared (SWIR) 1-3 µm (micro meter / micron)
Mid-wave Infrared (MWIR) 3-5 µm (micro meter / micron)
Long-wave Infrared (LWIR) 8-14 µm (micro meter / micron)
Very Long-wave Infrared (VLWIR) > 14 µm (micro meter / micron)
Humans at normal body temperature radiate chiefly at wavelengths around 12μm (micrometers). Thermal IR
imagery has been suggested as a viable alternative in detecting disguised faces and handling situations where
there is no control over illumination. Thermal IR images represent the heat patterns emitted from an object.
Objects emit different amounts of IR energy according to their body temperature and characteristics. Since,
vessels transport warm blood throughout the body; the thermal patterns of faces are derived primarily from the
pattern of blood vessels under the skin. The vein and tissue structure of the face is unique for each person, and
therefore the IR images are also unique. It is known that even identical twins have different thermal patterns.
Face recognition based on thermal IR spectrum utilizes the anatomical information of human face as features
are unique to each individual, while sacrificing color recognition.

According to the developments in camera technology over the last decade have given computer vision
researchers a whole new diversity of imaging options, particularly in the infrared spectrum. Conventional
video cameras use photosensitive silicon that is typically able to measure energy at electromagnetic
wavelengths from 0.4µm to just over 1.0µm. Multiple technologies are currently available, with dwindling
cost and increasing performance, which are capable of image measurement in different regions of the infrared
spectrum, as shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, which shows the different appearances of a human face in the visible,
shortwave infrared (SWIR), midwave infrared (MWIR) and long wave infrared (LWIR) spectra. Although in
the infrared, the near-infrared (NIR) and SWIR spectra are still reflective and differences in appearance
between the visible, NIR and SWIR are due to reflective material properties.

Infrared band of the electromagnetic spectrum showing the different IR sub-bands

Shortwave infrared:

Sensing in the shortwave infrared (SWIR) range (wavelengths from 0.9 to 1.7 microns) has only recently been
made practical by the development of Indium Gallium Arsenide (InGaAs) sensors. Sensors Unlimited, Inc.,
part of Goodrich Corporation's ISR Systems, is the pioneer in this technology and clear leader in advancing
the capability of SWIR sensors. Founded in 1991 to create lattice-matched InGaAs structures, Sensors
Unlimited, Inc. quickly grew as the telecom industry recognized the exceptional capabilities of this
remarkable material. Goodrich has continued to push InGaAs technology forward, today producing not just
single point light sensing diodes, but InGaAs one-dimensional linear arrays and two-dimensional focal plane
array cameras. SWIR-based machine vision systems have proven themselves, economically and technically,
across the industrial landscape.

But why use SWIR?

Shortwave infrared (SWIR) imaging is quietly earning a growing place in industrial machine vision
for quality inspection. SWIR imagers, sometimes also referred to as NIR imagers, can see objects and events
that vision and thermal cameras cannot.
Light in the SWIR band is not visible to the human eye. The visible spectrum extends from wavelengths of
0.4 microns (blue, nearly ultraviolet to the eye) to 0.7 microns (deep red). Wavelengths longer than visible
wavelengths can only be seen by dedicated sensors, such as InGaAs. But, although light in the shortwave
infrared region is not visible to the eye, this light interacts with objects in a similar manner as visible
wavelengths. That is, SWIR light is reflective light; it bounces off of objects much like visible light. As a
result of its reflective nature, SWIR light has shadows and contrast in its imagery. Images from an InGaAs
camera are comparable to visible images in resolution and detail; however, SWIR images are not in color.
This makes objects easily recognizable and yields one of the tactical advantages of the SWIR, namely, object
or individual identification.
 This diagram shows vis, SWIR, MWIR and
LWIR wavebands, and the point at which
equipment can work through glass. Note that
various InGaAs formulations cover the entire
SWIR range. The labeled bar across the
bottom represents the wavelengths that work
through glass optics. Above that range, more
expensive silicon and germanium optics are
required.

That makes InGaAs interesting, but what makes it useful? Well, InGaAs sensors can be made extremely
sensitive, literally counting individual photons. Thus, when built as focal plane arrays with thousands or
millions of tiny point sensors, or sensor pixels, SWIR cameras will work in very dark conditions. Night vision
goggles have been around for several decades and operate by sensing and amplifying reflected visible
starlight, or other ambient light, in what are called image intensification (I-Squared) tubes. This technology
has worked well for direct view night vision goggles. But when an image needs to be sent to a remote location
(an intelligence center, for example), there is no practical method which does not introduce reliability and
sensitivity limitations (e.g. I2CCD). Because all of SUI’s SWIR sensors convert light to electrical signals,
they are inherently suitable for standard storage or transmission techniques.

Using SWIR at night has another major advantage. An atmospheric phenomenon called night sky radiance
emits five to seven times more illumination than starlight, nearly all of it in the SWIR wavelengths. So, with a
SWIR camera and this night radiance - often called nightglow - we can "see" objects with great clarity on
moonless nights and share these images across networks as no other imaging device can do.

But aren't there other cameras that operate in the shortwave infrared range? Yes, sensors constructed
from materials like mercury cadmium telluride (HgCdTe) or indium antimonies (InSb) can be very sensitive
in the SWIR band. However, in order to increase their signal-to-noise ratio to usable levels, these cameras
must be mechanically cooled, often to extremely low temperatures. In large military aircraft designed for
surveillance and reconnaissance, cooling is not a problem since these platforms are designed with plenty of
space and power to run mechanical cooling systems. In stark contrast, similar sensitivity can be achieved at
room temperatures

Essentially, InGaAs cameras can be small and use very little power, but give big results. InGaAs found early
applications in the telecom industry because it is sensitive to the light used in long distance fiber optics
communications, usually around 1550 nm. Goodrich's InGaAs diodes and arrays continue to be used in
telecom, often in Optical Power Monitors that employ spectrometers operating in the SWIR band.
Surprisingly, interesting capabilities have resulted from this combination. By using SWIR illumination like
1.55 micron lasers or LEDs, it is possible to covertly illuminate a scene that can be viewed only with SWIR
cameras. So, imagine a military truck able to temporarily illuminate its path when nightglow is not available
(for instance, a road under thick tree branches or in a tunnel) in order to safely navigate a route in hostile
territory. SUI InGaAs cameras are of great value in such applications. And because such illuminators are eye
safe, there are few restrictions on how they are used.

Thermal imagers are another class of camera with good detection abilities. Goodrich often recommends that
such imagers are a good compliment to SWIR. While thermal imaging can detect the presence of a warm
object against a cool background, a SWIR camera can actually identify what that object is. That's because
thermal imagers do not provide the resolution and dynamic range of imaging possible with an InGaAs SWIR
focal plane array. In the military world, the serious problem of determining whether a threatening vehicle is a
civilian truck or a military tank is crucial. SWIR can help with this friend-or-foe determination.
So, Why SWIR?

 High sensitivity
 High resolution
 Seeing in the light of night glow or night sky radiance
 Day-to-night imaging
 Covert illumination
 Able to see covert lasers and beacons
 No cryogenic cooling required
 Conventional, low-cost visible spectrum lenses
 Small size
 Low power

Middle-Wave Infrared:

For night‐vision applications, the SWIR imaging with InGaAs technology is enhanced with thermal imaging
cameras for MWIR and LWIR in the form of uncooled microbolometers or cooled infrared cameras. Their
thermal detectors only show the presence of warm objects against a cooler background. In combination with
thermal images, SWIR cameras thus simplify the identification of objects which in the thermal image alone
are more difficult to recognize.

Long-wavelength infrared:

The sensor elements of microbolometer cameras for LWIR are made up of IR‐absorbing conductors or
semiconductors, whose radiation‐dependent resistance is measured. Because polysilicon is also suitable as an
absorber, they can also be made from polysilicon as MEMS and combined with evaluation circuits in CMOS
technology.

Why LWIR is more favorable than the other infrared spectrums?

The spectral distribution of energy emitted by an object is simply the product of the Planck distribution for a
given temperature, with the emissivity of the object as function of wavelength. In the vicinity of human body
temperature (37◦ C), the Planck distribution has a maximum in the LWIR around 9µm, and is approximately
one-sixth of this maximum in the MWIR. The emissivity of human skin in the MWIR is at least 0.91, and at
least 0.97 in the LWIR. Therefore, face recognition in the thermal infrared favors the LWIR, since LWIR
emission is much higher than that in the MWIR.
Middle-Wave Infrared (MWIR) Camera
• Minimum resolution of 640 x 512 pixels
• Detector shall be 3-5 µm
• Flame filter
• Digitally record a least 200 frames per second for a minimum of 10 minutes
• Provide camera remote focus capability
• Provide the camera image measurement range from -50°F to 1200°F with at least 1°F resolution (supply
Neutral Density filter if required)
• Provide the camera image measurement range from 50°F to 2400°F with at least 2°F resolution (supply
Neutral Density filter if required)
• Ability for the camera to measure cold temperatures from ambient (70°F) to liquid nitrogen (-320°F)
• Ability to export time vs. temperature in user selectable units (°F, °R, °C, °K)
• Ability to plot time vs. temperature (°F, °R, °C, °K) while recording data
• Camera must have video out with temperature scale pallet.
• Ability to accept 2-4° lens, 20-22° lens, 40-45°, 60-65° lens
• Ability to display temperature data in user selectable units while recording (°F, °R, °C, °K)
• Ability of the recording/control computer to communicate with the camera through fiber optic or Cat5/6
cable
• Ability to time stamp recorded data with IRIG input
• Provide a ring buffer to record pre-trigger data
• Ability to trigger recording of data via a closed contact and/or TTL pulse
• The camera have the capability to be calibrated by the owner (not require factory calibration) and
automatically drive the existing MSFC Mikron Black Body Sources.
• Provide Software Developer toolkit (SDK) or other software interface with permits (1) camera control, and
(2) access to image and temperature data while recording and for post-processing, (3) camera
calibration automation
• The camera must have a handle
• A case must be provided with wheels and extendable handle.
• Provide factory training for the camera and software (travel paid by customer)