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Sensor Application

What is SWIR CMOS Sensor

SWIR, Short-Wave Infrared generally refers to the wavelength band of light between 900nm and 2500nm. Traditional silicon sensors have an upper limit of approximately 1100nm. SWIR imaging usually requires sensors and camera components capable of operation in the SWIR range using Indium Gallium Arsenide (InGaAs) sensors (typically in the 900nm to 1700nm range)– which are inherently expensive and face challenges in scaling to smaller pixel pitches and higher resolution arrays. A CMOS SWIR sensor is capable of SWIR wavelength detection without to use of compound semiconductor materials, based purely on CMOS (silicon) manufacturing process. It’s cost effective technology that enable seamless integration.

Light Spectrum

What can a QPD™ SWIR camera do?

Medium Material Detection

SWIR wavelengths are absorbed and reflected according to the material, therefore you can detect things hidden in visible light.

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Standard RGB CMOS Sensor
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QPD™ CMOS SWIR Sensor

 

Package Component Detection

Certain plastics or objects become transparent using SWIR cameras, useful for fill inspection and quality control

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Standard RGB CMOS Sensor
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QPD™ CMOS SWIR Sensor

Non-invasive Blood Vein Detection

SWIR enables non-invasive bio-signal data to see beyond the human dermis for health diagnostic or secure biometric authentication.

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Standard RGB CMOS Sensor
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QPD™ CMOS SWIR Sensor

Packaging Inspection

Printed packaging plastics or objects become transparent using SWIR cameras, useful for fill inspection or quality control.

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Standard RGB CMOS Sensor
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QPD™ CMOS SWIR Sensor

Benefits

Added Image Data

SWIR significantly extends imaging capabilities beyond visible sensors–into the extended spectrum but SWIR light changes how familiar materials appear.

Higher Resolution + Contrast

SWIR’s range of wavelengths enable images with higher resolution when compared to mid and low range IR– important criteria for inspection and sorting.

Temperature Observation

SWIR wavelengths closer to the mid-wave IR (MWIR) spectrum can capture energy emitted from the object itself (capable of providing thermal data).

Identification and Detection

Infrared absorbance, reflectance, and transmission can help identify different biological and non-biological components.

Extended Visibility

SWIR’s longer wavelength of photon makes them less susceptible to scattering caused by particles of smaller diameters, meaning SWIR images can see through smoke, haze, or fog.

QPD™ CMOS SWIR use-case examples

Bio-Medical/Health & Biometric

Combining visual and SWIR imaging provides information on the skin surface and below the skin into the tissue, offering a much safer medical diagnostic, health monitoring, and secure biometric solution.

ADAS & AV

Current Advanced Driver Assistance Systems and Autonomous Vehicles rely on mostly radar and visible camera, but often fail to perform to provide an accurate view and detection of driving, road, and environmental conditions compromising safety. SWIR imaging can provide accurate detection for safer, more reliable ADAS/AV systems.

Industrial & Machine Vision

The industrial automation and digitization of manufacturing is currently limited by the input image data provided by image sensor hardware.