SWIR Cameras

Select our SenS series of TE cooled SWIR cameras when you need superb image performance of a wide range of light level conditions. The unique and exclusive SenS SWIR sensor can be software set for either high sensitive (linear) response or wide dynamic (log) response. The camera can be operated in free running or fast gated mode. Available with USB3, GigE Vision, or CameraLink data ports. Control the camera with Labview or Matlab environments. SDK under Windows or Linux. Typical applications include low light and wide dynamic range SWIR imaging, SWIR microscopy for fluorescent imaging and defect detection, thermography and process monitoring, SWIR laser tracking, surveillance and remote sensing.

Key features in common for all SenS models  include: TE cooled dual  SWIR sensor response, 640X512, 15 um pixels, snapshot shutter, set exposure from 50 nsec to 5 sec, up to 250 fps, choice of USB3, GigE Vision, or CameraLink. Fast gating (50 nsec) is an option for the USB3 and CameraLink models.

Quick links to SenS model data sheets:

640V-ST
640V-STP
640G-STE
640M-ST
640M-STP
640M-STE

[V= USB3, M= CameraLink, G= GigE, A= Video Analog Out, S= Global “Snapshot” Shutter, T= TE cooled sensor, P= Fast gated (50 nsec), E=sensor caliibration is stored in camera head memory]

View comparative table for all SWIR camera models.

Request SWIR camera pricing and delivery date.

SWIR Camera Contact Form

SWIR Camera Contact Form

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Select the uncooled WiDy VGA (640X512) series when wide dynamic range and VGA resolution are the top requirements for your application along with the option for fast gating. This SWIR camera platform is ultra compact with a low power draw; ideal for both laboratory, industrial, and mobile applications where a compact rugged design is needed. The camera can be operated in free running or fast gated mode. Available with USB3, GigE Vision, Video, or CameraLink data ports. Control the camera with Labview or Matlab environments with the GigE Vision model. . SDK under Windows or Linux. Typical applications include wide dynamic range SWIR imaging, SWIR microscopy for fluorescent imaging and defect detection, thermography and process monitoring, SWIR laser tracking, and surveillance.

Quick links to SenS model data sheets:

640V-ST
640M-ST
640G-ST
640V-STP
640M-SP

[V= USB3, M= CameraLink, G= GigE, A= Video Analog Out, S= Global “Snapshot” Shutter, T= TE cooled sensor, P= Fast gated (50 nsec), E=sensor caliibration is stored in camera head memory]

View comparative table for all SWIR camera models.

Request SWIR camera pricing and delivery date.

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Select the uncooled WiDy qVGA (320X256) series when wide dynamic range and qVGA resolution are the top requirements for your application along with the option for fast gating. This SWIR camera platform is ultra compact with a low power draw; ideal for both laboratory, industrial, and mobile applications where a compact rugged design is needed. The camera can be operated in free running or fast gated mode. Available with USB3 or CameraLink data ports.  Typical applications include wide dynamic range SWIR imaging, SWIR microscopy for parts transparent to SWIR light, thermography and process monitoring, SWIR laser tracking, and surveillance.

Quick links to qVGA model data sheets:

320V-S
320V-SP
320M-S
320M-SP

[V= USB3, M= CameraLink, G= GigE, A= Video Analog Out, S= Global “Snapshot” Shutter, T= TE cooled sensor, P= Fast gated (50 nsec), E=sensor caliibration is stored in camera head memory]

View comparative table for all SWIR camera models.

Request SWIR camera pricing and delivery date.

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TE Cooled SWIR Cameras with Imaging Capability 800 to 3000 nm

Why use Extended SWIR Imaging?

While traditional SWIR InGaAs sensors can address many imaging applications that span 900-1700 nm, there are situations where the user needs imaging capability beyond 1700 nm. These applications include

• Laser Beam Profiling for laser wavlengths > 1700 nm

• Hyperspectral Imaging for industrial, scientific, agricultural, and military applications

• Remote Sensing at wavelnegths > 1700 nm

• Spectroscopy at wavelengths > 1700 nm

• Defect detection in industrial products when  extended SWIR Imaging improves performance

Extending the boundaries of industrial imaging, the Zephir series SWIR camera platform supports SWIR cameras sensitive from .4 nm to 3.1 µm. Using a sensitive InGaAs or HgCdTe (MCT) FPA, ZEPHIR™ collects images at an astounding 345 frame-per-second rate while reaching unrivalled low noise levels with the integration of a four-stage TE cooler. Our BOREA™ line uses a Stirling micro cooler and has lower noise levels than its TE cooled competitors. Initially designed for demanding faint flux applications such as hyperspectral imaging, our cameras are well-suited for spectroscopy, astronomy or industrial applications in quality control and sorting.

Zephir 1.7 SWIR Camera- 800-1750 nm

ZephIR™ is an affordable ulra-sensitive SWIR InGaAs camera, highly sensitive from 0.9 to 1.7 µm. A four-stage TE cooler, deep-cooling at -80°C, allows reaching unrivalled low-noise levels even at an astounding 220 frame-per-second rate.

CHARACTERISTICS

• 220 frame-per-second

• 4-stages TEC

• Low noise level

• 640X512, 15 um pixel VGA SWIRInGaAs FPA

• Optimal from 0.8 to 1.7 µm

Zephir-1.7-Datasheet

Zephir 2.5 SWIR Camera- 800-2500 nm

ZephIR™ 2.5 is an affordable scientific-grade SWIR HgCdTe (MCT) camera, highly sensitive from 0.85 to 2.5 µm. A four-stage TE cooler, deep-cooling at -80°C, provides unrivalled low-noise levels even at an astounding 340 frame-per-second rate.

CHARACTERISTICS

• 340 frame-per-second

• 4 stages TEC

• Low noise level

• HgCdTe (MCT) FPA

• 0.85 to 2.5 µm

Zephir 2.5 Datasheet

Zephir 2.9 SWIR Camera- 800-3000 nm

ZephIR™ 2.9 is an affordable scientific-grade SWIR HgCdTe (MCT) camera, highly sensitive from 0.85 to 2.9 µm. A four-stage TE cooler, deep-cooling at -80°C, provides unrivalled low-noise levels even at an astounding 340 frame-per-second rate.

CHARACTERISTICS

• 340 frame-per-second

• 4 stages TEC

• Low noise level

• HgCdTe (MCT) FPA

• 0.85 to 2.9 µm

Zephir 2.9 Datasheeet

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Why use Short Wave Infrared Cameras (SWIR)?

The SWIR (Short Wave InfraRed ) spectral region has evolved to become critical for many industrial, scientific, remote sensing and surveillance applications. Below we explain why SWIR has advantages over visible and thermal cameras for the following applications:

• SWIR Remote Sensing
• SWIR Microscopy
• SWIR Surveillance and Target Identification
• SWIR Laser Tracking
• Reflective and Hyperspectral SWIR Imaging
• Defect detection in industrial products by SWIR Imaging

Remote Sensing

Each object has its own spectral signature, which is also the basic principle of remote sensing. Today we have satellites with various sensors collecting data in visible light, Near Infrared (NIR), Thermal Infrared (TIR), Panchromatic and Shortwave Infrared (SWIR).

SWIR is immediate adjacent to NIR in electromagnetic spectrum and refers to non-visible light falling roughly between 900 and 2500 nanometers (nm) in wavelength.

SWIR Sensor vs. Visible Light Sensor for Remote Sensing

SWIR light is reflective in nature and bounce of objects much like visible light. But SWIR light is not visible to human eyes. As a result of reflective nature, SWIR light has shadow and contrast in its imagery (contrast depends upon the radiometric resolution of sensor). Unlike visible light imagery SWIR light image is not in color. This makes objects easily recognizable and yields one of the tactical advantages of the SWIR, namely, object or individual identification.

 

SWIR Sensor vs. Thermal Sensor:

Thermal sensors are another important type of sensor as they can see heat and so use for thermal mapping. Instead of measuring the temperature of the air (as weather station do), they capture the ground heat. Thermal sensor capture imagery of warm object against a cool background and they do not provide good resolution imagery. Whereas SWIR sensors can have high resolution and can actually identify what object is. They also pinpoint sites of active burning, detect hot spots and estimate of where the fire is burning the hottest, so that response efforts can be directed most efficiently.

SWIR Sensor vs. NIR Sensor:

Near Infrared sensor are extremely important for ecology because healthy plants reflect it – the water in their leaves scatters the wavelengths back into the sky. They can be used for vegetation monitoring, crop stress etc. By comparing it with other bands, we get indexes like NDVI, which let us measure plant health more precisely than if we only looked at visible greenness. But NIR sensor do not tell us about the geology, rocks etc.

SWIR sensors are particularly useful for telling wet earth from dry earth, and for geology: rocks and soils that look similar in other bands often have strong contrasts in SWIR. SWIR sensors discriminates moisture content of soil and vegetation and penetrates thin clouds.

Remote Sensing Applications of SWIR Sensors:

• Mineral exploration
• Wildfire response (can penetrate through smoke)
• Food security
• Mining/Geology
• Urban feature identification (such as roofing and construction materials)
• Vegetation
• Petroleum (e.g. an oil spill)
• Snow and Ice discrimination
  Soil moisture estimation

Advantages of SWIR for Remote Sensing

High sensitivity

High resolution

Provide imagery in day and night

Can see penetrates thin clouds

Covert illumination

SWIR sensors are small in size, hence lighter payload and can be mounted on UAV

Can see through the smoke

Atmospheric aerosols have lesser effect on SWIR bands.

SWIR for Surveillance and Target Identification

SWIR is used for surveillance and target identification and has four distinct advantages over visible and thermal sensors:

No Illumination Needed

SWIR cameras are extremely sensitive to light, with individual pixels of the focal plane array able to capture and detect single photons. When combined with a phenomenon called night sky radiance, which emits up to 700% more illumination than starlight and is comprised mainly of SWIR wavelengths, SWIR cameras are able to see objects with a high level of detail, even on moonless and starless nights.

See Through Fog & Haze

The longer wavelengths of the SWIR spectrum are able to penetrate fog, smoke and other atmospheric conditions. As a result, shortwave infrared cameras consistently provide superior images to their optical counterparts as they are able to see through these obstructions, making them particular useful in cities, marine and coastal protection.

Effective for Identification

Unlike thermal energy which is radiated, SWIR is a reflected energy like visible light, which makes it a viable technology for identification purposes, and the only such technology that can be effectively used at night without additional illumination. While images made from the SWIR wavelength are black and white, they have similar properties to visible light, such as reflection and contrast.

See Through Glass

Another advantage that SWIR has over thermal is its ability to see through glass. This not only allows SWIR cameras to look through most windows but also allows for more affordable glass lenses and housings to be used.

Short Wave Infrared Camera Advantages in Microscopy

SWIR microscopes are designed to image what cannot be seen and magnified with visible microscopes.

Many semiconductor materials are NOT transparent to visible light but are to SWIR backlight illumination. A good example is the high SWIR magnification of industrial semiconductor wafers:

We can configure SWIR microscopes to your specific requirements for field of view, magnification range, and illumination type (reflective, co-axial, or backlight transmissive)

SWIR Reflective and Hyperspectral Imaging

For many remote sensing, commercial, and scientific application, single and multi-color imagery is needed. Single wavelength SWIR reflective imaging is very easy to implement with a SWIR camera, fixed focal length lens, and bandpass filter. Multi-wavelength hyperspectral imagers require integrating the SWIR camera with a SWIR dispersive spectrometer.

Hyperspectral imaging, like other spectral imaging, collects and processes information from across the electromagnetic spectrum. The goal of hyperspectral imaging is to obtain the spectrum for each pixel in the image of a scene, with the purpose of finding objects, identifying materials, or detecting processes.

Whereas the human eye sees color of visible light in mostly three bands (red, green, and blue), SWIR spectral imaging divides the spectrum into many more SWIR bands. This technique of dividing images into bands can be extended beyond the visible. In hyperspectral imaging, the recorded spectra have fine wavelength resolution and cover the SWIR range of wavelengths.

Engineers build hyperspectral sensors and processing systems for applications in astronomy, agriculture, biomedical imaging, geosciences, physics, and surveillance. Hyperspectral sensors look at objects using a vast portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. Certain objects leave unique ‘fingerprints’ in the electromagnetic spectrum. Known as spectral signatures, these ‘fingerprints’ enable identification of the materials that make up a scanned object. For example, a spectral signature for oil helps geologists find new oil fields.

SWIR Camera Laser Beam Profiling and Tracking

Many lasers for scientific and military applications lase in the SWIR region and SWIR cameras can easily track the location and power beam profile in real time. Our SWIR cameras are very well suited to these applications because of the SWIR sensor’s exceptional dynamic range, short exposure time, and fast frame rate.