Thin, Large-Area Device Converts Infrared Light into Images

Seeing through smog and fog. Mapping out a person's blood vessels while monitoring heart rate at the same time—without touching the person's skin. Seeing through silicon wafers to inspect the quality and composition of electronic boards. These are just some of the capabilities of a new infrared imager developed by a team of researchers led by electrical engineers at the University of California San Diego. The imager detects a part of the infrared spectrum called shortwave infrared light (wavelengths from 1000 to 1400 nanometers), which is right outside of the visible spectrum (400 to 700 nanometers). Shortwave infrared imaging is not to be confused with thermal imaging, which detects much longer infrared wavelengths given off by the body. The imager works by shining shortwave infrared light on an object or area of interest, and then converting the low energy infrared light that's reflected back to the device into shorter, higher-energy wavelengths that the human eye can see.