Infrared

Infrared (IR) light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength longer than that of visible
light, starting from the nominal edge of visible red light at 0.7 micrometres, and extending
conventionally to 300 micrometres. These wavelengths correspond to a frequency range of
approximately 430 to 1 THz, and include most of the thermal radiation emitted by objects near
room temperature. Microscopically, IR light is typically emitted or absorbed by molecules when
they change their rotational-vibrational movements.

Sunlight at zenith provides an irradiance of just over 1 kilowatt per square meter at sea level. Of
this energy, 527 watts is infrared radiation, 445 watts is visible light, and 32 watts is ultraviolet
radiation.

Overview
Infrared imaging is used extensively for military and civilian purposes. Military applications
include target acquisition, surveillance, night vision, homing and tracking. Non-military uses
include thermal efficiency analysis, remote temperature sensing, short-ranged wireless
communication, spectroscopy, and weather forecasting. Infrared astronomy uses sensor-equipped
telescopes to penetrate dusty regions of space, such as molecular clouds; detect objects such as
planets, and to view highly red-shifted objects from the early days of the universe.

Humans at normal body temperature radiate chiefly at wavelengths around 12μm (micrometers),
as shown by Wien's displacement law.

At the atomic level, infrared energy elicits vibrational modes in a molecule through a change in
the dipole moment, making it a useful frequency range for study of these energy states for
molecules of the proper symmetry. Infrared spectroscopy examines absorption and transmission
of photons in the infrared energy range, based on their frequency and intensity.

Origins of the term

The name means below red, the Latin infra meaning "below". Red is the color of the longest
wavelengths of visible light. Infrared light has a longer wavelength (and so a lower frequency)
than that of red light visible to humans, hence the literal meaning of below red.
A commonly used sub-division scheme is:

 Near-infrared (NIR, IR-A DIN): 0.75-1.4 µm in wavelength, defined by the water

absorption, and commonly used in fiber optic telecommunication because of low
attenuation losses in the SiO2 glass (silica) medium. Image intensifiers are sensitive to
this area of the spectrum. Examples include night vision devices such as night vision
goggles.

 Short-wavelength infrared (SWIR, IR-B DIN): 1.4-3 µm, water absorption increases

significantly at 1,450 nm. The 1,530 to 1,560 nm range is the dominant spectral region
for long-distance telecommunications.

 Mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR, IR-C DIN) also called intermediate infrared (IIR): 3-
8 µm. In guided missile technology the 3-5 µm portion of this band is the atmospheric
window in which the homing heads of passive IR 'heat seeking' missiles are designed to
work, homing on to the IR signature of the target aircraft, typically the jet engine exhaust
plume.

 Long-wavelength infrared (LWIR, IR-C DIN): 8–15 µm. This is the "thermal imaging"
region, in which sensors can obtain a completely passive picture of the outside world
based on thermal emissions only and requiring no external light or thermal source such as
the sun, moon or infrared illuminator. Forward-looking infrared (FLIR) systems use this
area of the spectrum. Sometimes also called the "far infrared."

 Far infrared (FIR): 15 - 1,000 µm

Sensor response division scheme

Plot of atmospheric transmittance in part of the infrared region.

A third scheme divides up the band based on the response of various detectors:

 Near infrared: from 0.7 to 1.0 micrometers (from the approximate end of the response of
the human eye to that of silicon).
 Short-wave infrared: 1.0 to 3 micrometers (from the cut off of silicon to that of the
MWIR atmospheric window. InGaAs covers to about 1.8 micrometers; the less sensitive
lead salts cover this region.
 Mid-wave infrared: 3 to 5 micrometers (defined by the atmospheric window and covered
by Indium antimonide [InSb] and HgCdTe and partially by lead selenide [PbSe]).
 Long-wave infrared: 8 to 12, or 7 to 14 micrometers: the atmospheric window (Covered
by HgCdTe and microbolometers).
 Very-long wave infrared (VLWIR): 12 to about 30 micrometers, covered by doped
silicon.

These divisions are justified by the different human response to this radiation: near infrared is the
region closest in wavelength to the radiation detectable by the human eye, mid and far infrared
are progressively further from the visible spectrum. Other definitions follow different physical
mechanisms (emission peaks, vs. bands, water absorption) and the newest follow technical
reasons (The common silicon detectors are sensitive to about 1,050 nm, while InGaAs'
sensitivity starts around 950 nm and ends between 1,700 and 2,600 nm, depending on the
specific configuration). Unfortunately, international standards for these specifications are not
currently available.

The boundary between visible and infrared light is not precisely defined. The human eye is
markedly less sensitive to light above 700 nm wavelength, so longer wavelengths make
insignificant contributions to scenes illuminated by common light sources. But particularly
intense light (e.g., from lasers, or from bright daylight with the visible light removed by colored
gels) can be detected up to approximately 780 nm, and will be perceived as red light, although
sources of up to 880 nm can be seen as a dull red glow in intense sources. The onset of infrared
is defined (according to different standards) at various values typically between 700 nm and
800 nm.
 Applications

Night vision

Infrared is used in night vision equipment when there is insufficient visible light to see. Night
vision devices operate through a process involving the conversion of ambient light photons into
electrons which are then amplified by a chemical and electrical process and then converted back
into visible light. Infrared light sources can be used to augment the available ambient light for
conversion by night vision devices, increasing in-the-dark visibility without actually using a
visible light source.

The use of infrared light and night vision devices should not be confused with thermal imaging
which creates images based on differences in surface temperature by detecting infrared radiation
(heat) that emanates from objects and their surrounding environment.

Thermography

Infrared radiation can be used to remotely determine the temperature of objects (if the emissivity
is known). This is termed thermography, or in the case of very hot objects in the NIR or visible it
is termed pyrometry. Thermography (thermal imaging) is mainly used in military and industrial
applications but the technology is reaching the public market in the form of infrared cameras on
cars due to the massively reduced production costs.

Thermographic cameras detect radiation in the infrared range of the electromagnetic spectrum
(roughly 900–14,000 nanometers or 0.9–14 μm) and produce images of that radiation. Since
infrared radiation is emitted by all objects based on their temperatures, according to the black
body radiation law, thermography makes it possible to "see" one's environment with or without
visible illumination. The amount of radiation emitted by an object increases with temperature,
therefore thermography allows one to see variations in temperature (hence the name).
Art history
Infrared reflectograms, as called by art historians, are taken of paintings to reveal underlying
layers, in particular the underdrawing or outline drawn by the artist as a guide. This often uses
carbon black which shows up well in reflectograms, so long as it has not also been used in the
ground underlying the whole painting. Art historians are looking to see if the visible layers of
paint differ from the under-drawing or layers in between - such alterations are called pentimenti
when made by the original artist. This is very useful information in deciding whether a painting
is the prime version by the original artist or a copy, and whether it has been altered by over-
enthusiastic restoration work. Generally the more pentimenti, the more likely a painting is to be
the prime version. It also gives useful insights into working practices.

Among many other changes in the Arnolfini Portrait of 1434 (right), his face was higher by
about the height of his eye, hers was higher, and her eyes looked more to the front. Each of his
feet was underdrawn in one position, painted in another, and then overpainted in a third. These
alterations are seen in infra-red reflectograms.

Similar uses of infrared are made by historians on various types of objects, especially very old
written documents such as the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Roman works in the Villa of the Papyri, and
the Silk Road texts found in the Dunhuang Caves. Carbon black used in ink can show up
extremely well.

Tracking
Infrared tracking, also known as infrared homing, refers to a passive missile guidance system
which uses the emission from a target of electromagnetic radiation in the infrared part of the
spectrum to track it. Missiles which use infrared seeking are often referred to as "heat-seekers",
since infrared (IR) is just below the visible spectrum of light in frequency and is radiated
strongly by hot bodies. Many objects such as people, vehicle engines, and aircraft generate and
retain heat, and as such, are especially visible in the infrared wavelengths of light compared to
objects in the background.
Heating
Infrared radiation can be used as a deliberate heating source. For example it is used in infrared
saunas to heat the occupants, and also to remove ice from the wings of aircraft (de-icing). FIR is
also gaining popularity as a safe method of natural health care & physiotherapy. Infrared can be
used in cooking and heating food as it predominantly heats the opaque, absorbent objects, rather
than the air around them.

Infrared heating is also becoming more popular in industrial manufacturing processes, e.g. curing
of coatings, forming of plastics, annealing, plastic welding, print drying. In these applications,
infrared heaters replace convection ovens and contact heating. Efficiency is achieved by
matching the wavelength of the infrared heater to the absorption characteristics of the material.

Communications
IR data transmission is also employed in short-range communication among computer
peripherals and personal digital assistants. These devices usually conform to standards published
by IrDA, the Infrared Data Association. Remote controls and IrDA devices use infrared light-
emitting diodes (LEDs) to emit infrared radiation which is focused by a plastic lens into a narrow
beam. The beam is modulated, i.e. switched on and off, to encode the data. The receiver uses a
silicon photodiode to convert the infrared radiation to an electric current. It responds only to the
rapidly pulsing signal created by the transmitter, and filters out slowly changing infrared
radiation from ambient light. Infrared communications are useful for indoor use in areas of high
population density. IR does not penetrate walls and so does not interfere with other devices in
adjoining rooms. Infrared is the most common way for remote controls to command appliances.

Free space optical communication using infrared lasers can be a relatively inexpensive way to
install a communications link in an urban area operating at up to 4 gigabit/s, compared to the cost
of burying fiber optic cable.

Infrared lasers are used to provide the light for optical fiber communications systems. Infrared
light with a wavelength around 1,330 nm (least dispersion) or 1,550 nm (best transmission) are
the best choices for standard silica fibers.

IR data transmission of encoded audio versions of printed signs is being researched as an aid for
visually impaired people through the RIAS (Remote Infrared Audible Signage) project.
Meteorology
Weather satellites equipped with scanning radiometers produce thermal or infrared images which
can then enable a trained analyst to determine cloud heights and types, to calculate land and
surface water temperatures, and to locate ocean surface features. The scanning is typically in the
range 10.3-12.5 µm (IR4 and IR5 channels).

High, cold ice clouds such as Cirrus or Cumulonimbus show up bright white, lower warmer
clouds such as Stratus or Stratocumulus show up as grey with intermediate clouds shaded
accordingly. Hot land surfaces will show up as dark grey or black. One disadvantage of infrared
imagery is that low cloud such as stratus or fog can be a similar temperature to the surrounding
land or sea surface and does not show up. However, using the difference in brightness of the IR4
channel (10.3-11.5 µm) and the near-infrared channel (1.58-1.64 µm), low cloud can be
distinguished, producing a fog satellite picture. The main advantage of infrared is that images can
be produced at night, allowing a continuous sequence of weather to be studied.

These infrared pictures can depict ocean eddies or vortices and map currents such as the Gulf
Stream which are valuable to the shipping industry. Fishermen and farmers are interested in
knowing land and water temperatures to protect their crops against frost or increase their catch
from the sea. Even El Niño phenomena can be spotted. Using color-digitized techniques, the
gray shaded thermal images can be converted to color for easier identification of desired
information.

Astronomy
Astronomers observe objects in the infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum using
optical components, including mirrors, lenses and solid state digital detectors. For this reason it
is classified as part of optical astronomy. To form an image, the components of an infrared
telescope need to be carefully shielded from heat sources, and the detectors are chilled using
liquid helium.

The sensitivity of Earth-based infrared telescopes is significantly limited by water vapor in the
atmosphere, which absorbs a portion of the infrared radiation arriving from space outside of
selected atmospheric windows. This limitation can be partially alleviated by placing the
telescope observatory at a high altitude, or by carrying the telescope aloft with a balloon or an
aircraft. Space telescopes do not suffer from this handicap, and so outer space is considered the
ideal location for infrared astronomy.

The infrared portion of the spectrum has several useful benefits for astronomers. Cold, dark
molecular clouds of gas and dust in our galaxy will glow with radiated heat as they are irradiated
by imbedded stars. Infrared can also be used to detect protostars before they begin to emit visible
light. Stars emit a smaller portion of their energy in the infrared spectrum, so nearby cool objects
such as planets can be more readily detected. (In the visible light spectrum, the glare from the
star will drown out the reflected light from a planet.)

Infrared light is also useful for observing the cores of active galaxies which are often cloaked in
gas and dust. Distant galaxies with a high redshift will have the peak portion of their spectrum
shifted toward longer wavelengths, so they are more readily observed in the infrared.

Biological systems
The pitviper has a pair of infrared sensory pits on its head. There is uncertainty regarding the
exact thermal sensitivity of this biological infrared detection system.

Other organisms that have thermoreceptive organs are pythons (family Pythonidae), some boas
(family Boidae), the Common Vampire Bat (Desmodus rotundus), a variety of jewel beetles
(Melanophila acuminata), darkly pigmented butterflies (Pachliopta aristolochiae and Troides
rhadamantus plateni), and possibly blood-sucking bugs (Triatoma infestans).

Other imaging

In infrared photography, infrared filters are used to capture the near-infrared spectrum. Digital
cameras often use infrared blockers. Cheaper digital cameras and camera phones have less
effective filters and can "see" intense near-infrared, appearing as a bright purple-white color.
This is especially pronounced when taking pictures of subjects near IR-bright areas (such as near
a lamp), where the resulting infrared interference can wash out the image. There is also a
technique called 'T-ray' imaging, which is imaging using far infrared or terahertz radiation. Lack
of bright sources makes terahertz photography technically more challenging than most other
infrared imaging techniques. Recently T-ray imaging has been of considerable interest due to a
number of new developments such as terahertz time-domain spectroscopy.