Infraredteknologian

Infraredteknologian, meaning infrared technology, is the field that studies and applies infrared radiation, typically defined as light with wavelengths roughly from 700 nanometers to about 1 millimeter. It is commonly divided into near-infrared, mid-infrared, and far-infrared bands, each with different sources, detectors, and applications.

Infrared technologies rely on emitters such as specialized LEDs and laser diodes, and detectors including bolometers, thermopiles, and semiconductor photodiodes (for example InGaAs, InSb, HgCdTe). Imaging devices translate absorbed infrared energy into visible-like images, known as thermal or IR cameras. In many cases the sensors are cooled to reduce noise.

Applications include thermal imaging for building diagnostics, industrial inspection, medical thermography, astronomy, security and surveillance, automotive night-vision and driver-assistance systems, and remote sensing and spectroscopy, including Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Infrared spectroscopy leverages absorption features of materials in the infrared region to identify chemical composition.

Historical development began with William Herschel's discovery of infrared radiation in 1800, followed by advances in infrared detectors and imaging in the 20th century. More recent progress includes uncooled microbolometers enabling cheaper everyday thermal cameras, and advanced detectors for longer wavelengths.

Challenges include detector costs, cooling requirements for some systems, atmospheric absorption and scattering, and safety considerations for intense IR exposure. The field continues to expand through improvements in materials, integration with AI, and new sensing platforms.