MidOpt published in Photonics Vision Spectra, Winter 2022
Selecting the Right Filter Is Critical to SWIR Imaging
by James Gardiner
Shortwave IR (SWIR) imaging has seen a surge in use in recent years, playing an important role in imaging agricultural products, food, pharmaceuticals, and high-heat glass and metal manufacturing. Given the strong absorption of moisture within the SWIR range, users can check fill levels in opaque bottles, visualize underlying features such as anti-counterfeiting security codes, or use the technology for a wide range of other applications.
Innovations in sensor technology, availability, and cost have opened the door for more and more applications that can be addressed with NIR and SWIR. Just like with monochrome and color cameras, picking the right filter can mean the difference between a poor image and an acceptable one.
One of the most critical advancements has been in innovation sensor technology. Recent SWIR cameras have integrated both quantum dot SWIR sensors and Sony’s new IMX990 and IMX991 SenSWIR sensors, which are unique in that they are sensitive to the visible, NIR, and SWIR portions of the spectrum.