With the SenSWIR sensor, Sony has developed the copper-copper bonding technology, which enables a considerable increase in quantum efficiency (almost up to 100% in the NIR range) thanks to a thinner InGaAs interface and, due to the small pixel size of 5 µm, leads to an efficient, small and therefore economical sensor design. In addition, the sensor is sensitive in the wavelength range from 400 nm to 1700 nm and therefore covers a broad spectrum from the visible VIS to the invisible SWIR range.

SVS-Vistek uses this sensor in the exo990, exo991 and fxo990 cameras, thereby expanding its product range into the SWIR range. The combination of the conventional visible wavelength range with the NIR range in a single camera results in significantly lower costs when setting up inspection systems. Typical application scenarios for the combined use of both wavelength ranges can be found in the solar and electronics industry for the inspection of silicon, in the pharmaceutical sector or in food production, where fruit or vegetables, for example, can be inspected for rot or bruises using this technology. SWIR also enables the simple detection of otherwise invisible contaminants or the detection of water or water vapor.

Both the exo990 and the fxo990 deliver images with 1.3 MP resolution (1280 x 1024 pixels), while the exo991 with its 0.3 MP sensor (640 x 512 pixels) is suitable for applications with lower resolution requirements. The pixel size of just 5 µm results in a very compact sensor format with a diagonal of just 8.2 mm (exo990, fxo990) or 4.1 mm (exo991). The fxo990 is offered with the CoaXPress 12 interface and enables 134 fps, the exo990 with GigE Vision interface delivers a frame rate of 90 fps and the exo991 allows 259 fps. All cameras have a 4-channel strobe controller integrated into the GenICam tree, which can be used to control several narrow-band illuminations simultaneously or sequentially, and are suitable for simple combination with all established software packages on the market thanks to the use of the GenTL standard.