{"id":2657,"date":"2022-11-15T14:17:15","date_gmt":"2022-11-15T19:17:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.1stvision.com\/machine-vision-solutions\/?p=2657"},"modified":"2022-11-29T07:34:13","modified_gmt":"2022-11-29T12:34:13","slug":"what-does-xswir-extended-swir-sensitivity-do-for-me","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.1stvision.com\/machine-vision-solutions\/2022\/11\/what-does-xswir-extended-swir-sensitivity-do-for-me.html","title":{"rendered":"What does XSWIR (eXtended SWIR sensitivity) do for me?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Visible imaging, infrared imaging (IR), short wave IR (SWIR), Extended SWIR (XSWIR) – it’s an alphabet soup of acronyms and their correlating concepts. Let’s briefly review each type of imaging to set the stage for the new kid in town – XSWIR – to better understand what each has to offer.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Visible imaging is the shorthand name for machine vision applications that are in the same portion of the spectral range as human vision, from about 380 – 700 nm. The field of machine vision initially developed largely in the visible space, partly because it’s easiest to conceptualize innovation in a familar space, but also due to the happy coincidence that CCD and CMOS sensors are photosensitive in the same portion of the spectrum as human sight!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Infrared imaging (IR), including near-infrared (NIR), focus on wavelengths in the range above 700 nm. NIR is roughly from 750 nm – 1400 nm. Applications include spectroscopy, hardwood and wood pulp analysis, biomedicine, and more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Short-wave IR (SWIR) applications have tended to fall in the range 950 nm – 1700 nm. Applications include quality-control of electronics boards, plastic bottle-contents inspection, fruit inspection, and more. The camera sensor is typically based not on Silicon (Si) but rather Indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) , and one typically requires special lensing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then there is MWIR (3 – 5 um) and LWIR (9 – 15 um). You can guess what M and L stand for by now. MWIR and LWIR are interesting in their own right, but beyond the scope of this short piece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We draw your attention to a newish development in SWIR, namely Extended SWIR, or simply XSWIR. Some use the term eSWIR instead – it’s all so new there isn’t a dominant acronym yet as we write this – we’ll persist with XSWIR for purposes of this piece. XSWIR pushes the upper limits of SWIR beyond what earlier SWIR technologies could realize.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As mentioned above, SWIR cameras, lenses, and the systems built on such components tended to concentrate on applications with wavelengths in the range 950 – 1700 nm. XSWIR technologies can now push the right end of the response curve to 1900 nm and even 2200 nm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Big deal, a few hundred more nanometers of responsivity, who cares? Those doing any of the following may care a lot:<\/p>\n\n\n\n