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Visible Light Imaging

The visible spectrum is the band of the electromagnetic spectrum that is visible to the human eye. Electromagnetic radiation in this range of wavelengths is called visible light (or simply light).

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We as BYC Vision provides high sensitive, small size, low weight, high optical zoom block cameras for projects, especially UAV platforms, Land type reconnaissance surveillance systems.

LWIR MWIR Thermal Infrared Imaging

Thermal imaging (a type of infrared imaging) uses cameras that “see” heat instead of light. 

So how does thermal imaging see heat? All objects warmer than absolute zero (-273°C/-459°F) emit infrared radiation in the MWIR and LWIR wavelengths (3µm–14µm) in an amount proportional to the temperature of the object. Thermal imaging focuses and detects this radiation, then translates the temperature variations into a greyscale image, using brighter and darker shades of grey to represent hotter and cooler temperatures, which gives a visual representation to the heat profile of the scene. Many thermal imagers can also apply color profiles to these images, showing hotter objects as yellow and cooler objects as blue for example, to make it easier to compare temperatures in the image.

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In order to “see” radiated heat, special lenses and sensors are needed to focus and detect electromagnetic radiation in the MWIR (mid‑wave infrared) and LWIR (long‑wave infrared) ranges.

LWIR & MWIR Thermal Cameras 

To detect thermal energy, special FPAs (Focal Plane Arrays) are required. These can be divided into two types, cooled and uncooled detectors.

Cooled detectors exist to maximize detection performance. Since we’re detecting radiated heat, any heat from the camera components themselves makes it harder to see the image of the scene. Both our high-definition MCT (Mercury Cadmium Telluride or HgCdTe) sensors and our Indium Animonide (InSb) sensors incorporate a cryogenic cooling system to reduce the “noise” from the heat of the internal camera components and the sensor itself. This allows for detection of thermal energy with an accuracy as fine as 0.025°C.

Uncooled detectors are also available which are more affordable and compact due to the lack of a cryogenic cooler. We use vanadium oxide (VOx) detectors in our uncooled cameras and combine them with wide aperture lenses to maximize their performance.

Lenses For Thermal IR Cameras 

For visible light, glass lenses are typically used to focus light on a camera sensor, however glass is not transparent to thermal radiation. Instead, thermal lenses are constructed from a special metal called Germanium (Ge). This is a relatively rare element and thus is quite costly, with raw prices often as high as $2000 per kilogram. Depending on the type of sensor, lenses of different specifications are required.

Our cooled sensor thermal cameras are designed to have the best long-range detection. We have a wide variety of long-range continuous zoom lenses, allowing the operator to smoothly transition between wide angle and long range. 

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Since uncooled thermal imagers are inherently less sensitive than cooled sensors, we maximize the quality of those images by using lenses with an extremely wide aperture of ƒ/1.0. This wide aperture allows more thermal energy through to the sensor for detection; twice as much energy as that of a lens with an aperture of ƒ/1.4, or four times as much as ƒ/2.0

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  1. Resolution: 384×288, 640×512, 1024×768, 1280×1024 

  2. Pixel pitch: 12μm

  3. Support fixed focus and continuous zoom lens

  4. Excellent image quality, making it easier to see small targets

SWIR Imaging

•SWIR is the abbreviation of the Short Wave Infrared.

•Short Wave Infrared is the spectrum range in the spectrum.

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•Unlike Mid-Wave Infrared (MWIR) and Long-Wave Infrared (LWIR) light, which is emitted from the object itself, SWIR is similar to visible light in that photons are reflected or absorbed by an object, providing the strong contrast needed for high resolution imaging. Ambient star light and background radiance (nightglow) are natural emitters of SWIR and provide excellent illumination for outdoor, nighttime imaging.

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•SWIR generally refers to the wavelength band of light between 900nm and 2500nm.

•Since standard silicon sensors have an upper limit of approximately 1000nm, SWIR imaging requires sensors and camera components capable of operation in the shortwave infrared range, which exceeds the upper limit of silicon. Indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) sensors are commonly used in SWIR imaging, typically covering the 900nm to 1700nm range. But 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 from the object itself, SWIR or shortwave infrared light is similar to visible light in that photons are reflected or absorbed by an object, providing the strong contrast needed for high-resolution imaging. While LWIR imagers give off more poorly defined thermal images, SWIR imagers deliver high-resolution images, much like visible light cameras.

•Generally, the image is grayscale, with each pixel corresponding to a different shade of gray that represents light intensity at that location.

•InGaAs is not the only material used in SWIR sensors, but InGaAs offers a broader range of SWIR wavelengths and can be used in gas and environmental monitoring applications.

•One of the reasons SWIR cameras are so popular is that they work effectively in low-light conditions, which is suitable for a range of applications such as agriculture, semiconductor inspection, medical imaging, surveillance, and security. In addition, utilizing InGaAs in photodiode arrays offers high sensitivity and resolution to light in the SWIR range.

Advantages of SWIR Cameras

•Able to identify covert lasers and beacons

•Day and Night Imaging

•Can see through glass, plastic, and water

•High Resolution

•Different Lens options

Ultra Low Light IP Camera : 

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