IRAbschirmfilters

IRAbschirmfilters, or infrared shielding filters, are optical components designed to reduce the transmission of infrared radiation while allowing visible light to pass. They are used to prevent infrared light from reaching detectors or sensors, thereby reducing heat load, preventing wavelength-dependent color shifts, and improving measurement or image accuracy.

The core principle relies on thin-film coatings or absorbent materials. Dielectric multi-layer coatings can reflect infrared wavelengths while transmitting the visible spectrum, producing a sharp cut-off near 700 to 750 nanometers. Some variants use pigment or absorber layers to attenuate IR. In all cases the goal is to minimize IR transmission without unduly reducing visible light transmission, though some slight tint or color cast may occur.

Materials and production methods vary, but common substrate choices include fused silica and borosilicate glass. Coatings are typically applied in vacuum by deposition processes and are characterized by their transmission curves, optical density in the infrared, and angular dependence. Temperature stability and environmental durability are important for many applications.

Applications are broad, including digital photography and videography, astronomy, laboratory instrumentation, metrology, and medical imaging. IRAbschirmfilters help preserve color fidelity, reduce sensor heating, and prevent infrared contamination of measurements. They are often used as standalone filters or integrated into camera modules as IR-cut or visible-pass filters, sometimes in combination with UV-blocking elements.

Notes include that spectral performance can shift with angle of incidence, and that trade-offs exist between visible transmission, infrared rejection, and cost. Proper selection depends on the target spectral range, detector sensitivity, and environmental conditions.