Low SWaP SWIR cameras for Multi-Mode applications

Abstract

This paper reviews the camera development efforts at Sensors Unlimited Inc. (SUI), a Collins Aerospace company, focused on serving multi-mode short-wavelength infrared (SWIR) applications while maintaining a low size, weight, and power (SWaP) footprint. Increasingly over the last decade, end users have looked to SWIR to support not only low-noise passive imaging, but also active illumination applications. Hence, cameras that include provisions to specifically support both modalities, passive and active imaging, have been given the moniker, "Multi-Mode."In this work, SUI offers an overview of the passive and active imaging performance of the multi-mode cameras in its technology portfolio juxtaposing the traits of each. Finally, an outlook for future work in the area of multi-mode SWIR camera development is presented.