What Are IR Optics?

The infrared optical system refers to an optical system working in the infrared spectral region. The infrared optical system includes an optical system that receives self-radiation or reflects infrared information from a target, and an optical system that emits infrared information.

Infrared optical system refers to the infrared optical system

Infrared optical systems include optical systems that receive self-radiation or reflect infrared information from targets and optical systems that emit infrared information ^[1]

Infrared optical systems are roughly divided into 4 categories according to their application principles:

(1) Infrared optical systems that detect the bearing and distance of the target, such as infrared rangefinders, infrared search and tracking systems, infrared seekers, etc.

(2) An infrared optical system that detects the temperature difference distribution of the target, such as a thermal imager.

(3) An infrared optical system that detects the target's radiant and reflected fluxes, such as a thermal radiometer.

(4) Infrared optical systems that emit infrared radiation, such as infrared collimators, CO ₂ laser directional energy systems, etc.

Due to the invisibility of the infrared spectrum, the first three types of infrared optical systems must be combined with infrared detectors before they can be applied. Infrared optical systems are widely used in military, industrial and agricultural production, medicine, and space technology, and will be more widely used with the development of infrared detectors, infrared optical materials, system design, micro-refrigerators, and electronic technology ^{[1 ]} .