SWIR Lenses
Short Wave Infrared Lenses (SWIR Lenses) are specifically designed for use in the short wave infrared region with light from 0.9 – 1.7μm. Sometimes called short wave infrared lenses, these optical lenses are vital for sorting, surveillance, inspection, quality control, and night vision. At Avantier, we offer both in stock Short-Wave Infrared Lenses and specialize in custom SWIR lens solutions that precisely match our customers’ specifications.
How SWIR Cameras Work?
Short wave infrared imaging systems rely on non-visible light that is emitted in the atmosphere through hydroxyl ion emissions. This light, called atmospheric night glow, is primarily in the short wave infrared range.Though invisible to the human eye, machine vision systems can detect short wave infrared light.
SWIR light has some special properties that make it extremely useful for surveillance. Particles of water vapor easily scatter visible light in the atmosphere, making it impossible to see clearly in bad weather. SWIR light, on the other hand, is not scattered by atmospheric water or smoke. It can be used to produce clear, high-resolution images of areas obstructed by fog or fires. Additionally, a SWIR camera typically has a pixel size of about 20 – 30 µm.
Since SWIR imaging systems do not rely on visible light, they perform equallly well during the day and at night. Some substances which are impenetrable to visible light, such as silicone, are transparent in SWIR light. Certain colors that appear identical in visible light can also be differentiated with SWIR.
Applications of SWIR lenses
SWIR lenses are best known for outdoor night vision cameras, making them increasingly important in defense and civilian security applications.
SWIR lenses also play an important part in medicine, where they support biomedical imaging, as well as in environmental stewardship and in industry. For instance, the fruit industry relies on SWIR imagery to separate blemished fruit from healthy fruit. Bruising or soft spots that are invisible under visible light stand out in stark contrast when using SWIR imagery.
Custom SWIR Lens Solutions at Avantier
At Avantier, we stand at the forefront of SWIR research and have access to the most advanced substrates and manufacturing technologies. Our optical design and engineering team produces custom SWIR lenses manufactured to your exact specifications. Additionally, we can produce either fixed focal length lenses or zoom lenses. Our wide range of manufacturing equipment enables us to fabricate lenses with high transmission and very high spatial resolution. The high quality of these lenses ensure that they perform well even with low levels of scattered or stray light.
If you don’t want to go through the trouble of designing a SWIR lens from scratch, you can also work with our pre-engineered designs. These designs you to customize a preliminary design with your preferred dimensions, coatings, and wavelength range. We want to meet you where you’re at, and are happy to customize as much or as little as meets your needs.
Contact us today to discuss your order or set up an initial consultation.
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