IRC900 Series MWIR cameras

The choice depends mainly on whether frame rate, array size, pixel pitch or thermal sensitivity has priority. The IRC906 combines 640 × 512 resolution, 20 µm pixels, 119 Hz full-frame operation and 18 mK NEdT, while the IRC906HS retains 640 × 512 resolution but moves to 12 µm pixels and 475 Hz. The IRC910 offers a square 1024 × 1024 array, 25 µm pixels, 76 Hz operation and a 10 million-electron well capacity. The IRC912 provides the largest array at 1280 × 1024, with 12 µm pixels and 119 Hz. In practice, select the IRC906HS for event speed, the IRC912 for pixel count, the IRC910 for square-format scientific imaging or the IRC906 for 18 mK sensitivity in a smaller array.

NEdT indicates the camera’s ability to distinguish small apparent temperature differences under defined measurement conditions. The IRC906 and IRC910 have an NEdT of 18 mK, while the IRC906HS and IRC912 are below 30 mK. Lower NEdT generally supports finer thermal contrast, although the final result also depends on the optics, integration time, filtering, calibration and scene radiance. Well capacities are 7 million electrons for the IRC906, 2 million for the IRC906HS and IRC912, and 10 million for the IRC910. A larger well can provide more signal capacity before saturation, so model selection should consider both thermal sensitivity and the expected scene intensity range.

All four models support user-defined windows in 4 × 1-pixel increments, with a minimum width of 320 pixels and a minimum height of 32 pixels. Reducing the active readout area can increase the acquisition rate, although specific reduced-window frame rates are not defined. Integration times below 150 ns are available when the scene radiance and optical throughput provide enough signal for such short exposures. A 13-bit mode can also be selected to increase frame rate at small window sizes, while 14-bit operation retains the full stated digital depth. Engineers should confirm the required region of interest, exposure budget and data bandwidth before selecting the operating mode.

The cameras provide simultaneous Camera Link and GigE image data, allowing the acquisition architecture to be selected around bandwidth, cable routing and host hardware. Serial communications are carried over Camera Link and GigE, while cross-platform control follows the GenICam interface model. Sync I/O and an integration output are included for coordination with external triggers, illumination, motion systems or measurement instruments. Snapshot operation captures the focal plane at a shared instant, which is useful when scene content changes during a frame. Integration planning should account for the selected full-frame rate, host processing performance, storage throughput and the timing requirements of connected equipment.

Standard camera f-numbers are f/2.3, f/3.0 and f/4.0, with custom cold shields available for application-specific configurations. The standard cold-filter choices are a 3.0 to 5.0 µm band or no cold filter, while CO₂, SWIR and custom filter options are also available. A motorised four-position warm filter wheel accepts filters measuring 25.4 mm in diameter and 1.0 mm thick, allowing controlled switching between spectral bands. The IRC906, IRC906HS and IRC912 use bayonet lens mounts, whereas the IRC910 uses a bolt-hole pattern. The selected detector, f-number, filter transmission and lens must therefore be evaluated together rather than as independent components.

Every model operates from 24 V DC, but the stated power requirement varies from 20 W for the IRC906 to 35 W for the IRC910. The IRC906, IRC906HS and IRC912 measure 5.1 × 5.8 × 8 in and weigh under 7 lb, while the IRC910 measures 6 × 6 × 9 in and weighs under 10 lb. Operating temperature extends from -40 to +55 °C, with storage permitted from -55 to +80 °C. The IP51 rating should be considered a limited ingress rating rather than a substitute for a fully weatherproof enclosure. System design should also allow space for the lens, cables, airflow, mounting hardware and access to any filter-wheel mechanism.

The range can support spectroscopy and process-analysis systems where cooled MWIR detection, short integration times and configurable filtering are required. The InSb detectors respond from below 1.0 µm to 5.3 µm, while the standard cold-filter band covers 3.0 to 5.0 µm. Optional CO₂, SWIR and custom filters, together with the four-position filter wheel, allow the optical configuration to be aligned with selected spectral features. Camera Link and GigE interfaces support connection to acquisition and analysis systems, and external synchronisation can coordinate imaging with a controlled process. The final spectral resolution and quantitative accuracy will also depend on the external optics, calibration method and analysis equipment.

The IRC906HS provides the highest full-frame rate in the range at 475 Hz, while the other models operate at 76 or 119 Hz depending on array format. Snapshot integration helps limit temporal displacement across the image, and sync I/O allows exposure timing to be coordinated with an external event. The cameras can select between integrate-while-read and integrate-then-read modes, providing flexibility around duty cycle and acquisition timing. For the IRC910, SuperFraming supports frame-to-frame changes in integration time when a scene contains rapidly changing signal levels or a wide dynamic range. Selection should consider whether temporal resolution, spatial resolution, sensitivity or scene dynamic range is the controlling requirement.