Are you curious about invisible illumination that is used in covert operations and daily lives? The LED infrared lights will answer all your queries.
IR LED light is a safe and energy-efficient option for surveillance, wildlife monitoring, industrial sensors, and so on. I will explain how it works, what its benefits are, and provide a guide to choosing the right IR LED light for your project in this article.
What Is Infrared LED Lighting?
Infrared LED lighting emits electromagnetic radiation invisible to our eyes at 780 nm to 1,000 nm wavelengths. Infrared cameras, night vision devices, and motion sensors can detect this radiation to provide illumination. You can use these infrared light-emitting diodes in night vision equipment to get high-contrast images in complete darkness.
How Do LED Infrared Lights Work?
LED Infrared lights convert electrical energy into the infrared spectrum of light. IR lights can detect and emit infrared rays depending on the available ambient light to increase visibility.
The IR LEDs contain semiconductor materials. When electricity passes through the semiconductor, electrons absorb this energy. Then they get excited and jump to higher energy levels. After that, these electrons emit the extra energy in packets of photons or light. In the case of infrared LEDs, the emitted photons fall within the infrared spectrum, specifically in the wavelength range from 780 to 1,000 nanometers. However, this is invisible to the human eye but detectable by specialized sensors.
How Can You See With IR LED Lights?
You need night vision optics, like a scope or a camera, to see with IR LED lights. When you look through the camera in low light or total darkness, your surroundings will be visible to you. However, you will get a monochromatic view here.
Benefits of Infrared LED Lights
- Versatile: It is used for diverse purposes like illumination, sensing, and communication. For instance, you will find infrared LEDs in remote controls, security cameras, industrial sensors, and many more.
- Energy efficiency: IR LED lights consume less energy. Also, it converts a high percentage of electric current into infrared radiation.
- Durability: As IR LEDs produce less heat and resist shock and vibration, it has a longer lifespan.
- Small Size: Due to their tiny size, IR LEDs are integrated into a wide range of devices.
- Improved Security and Surveillance: In low-light or nighttime conditions, these lights enhance visibility and provide a more comprehensive view of the monitored area. In addition, it does not disrupt the environment or attract attention when used in covert operations.
- Safe and Non-Invasive: As the IR LED is non-invasive in nature, it does not cause skin or eye irritation. Also, near-infrared lights have anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, these are used in medical therapies and skincare.
Application of Infrared LED Lights
- Communication Systems: Fiber optic and wireless communication systems are built using infrared LED lights.
- Barcode Scanners: IR LEDs direct infrared wavelengths across the barcode surface. After that, a reader measures the reflected light, and a decoder converts the light emission into data. This is how barcode scanners use IR LEDs.
- Smart Watches: Smartwatches use IR wavelength to monitor heart rates. The integrated infrared LED of the watch emits light that crosses the skin and gets absorbed by blood vessels. The heart rate is calculated from the returned light.
- Medical Devices: Medical devices like pulse oximeters use infrared LED lights to calculate blood oxygen levels. To elaborate, it measures the difference between infrared and red light absorption here.
- Automotive Applications: In automobiles, IR LEDs are applied in collision detection systems, driver monitoring systems, etc.
- Proximity Sensors: IR LEDs can be used as sensors to detect movement and trigger alarms. It can sense the infrared energy humans or animals emit as heat.
- Remote Controls: It is used in the remote controls of electronic devices. The IR LED of the remote emits infrared light pulses for the receiver of the device. Gallium Arsenide IR LEDs are commonly used for this purpose.
- Security Cameras: High-power IR LEDs are used in the lens of security cameras. Thus, it can capture IR images in zero-light conditions.
Infrared LED Lights vs. Traditional Lights
Infrared LED lights and traditional lights have different features and practical uses, which are listed below:
| Features | Infrared LED Lights | Traditional Lights |
| Visibility | Invisible to naked human eyes | Completely visible to naked human eyes |
| Wavelength | The infrared spectrum of IR LEDs is 780 nm – 1 mm. | The visible spectrum of traditional lights is 380 nm – 750 nm. |
| Stealth | It is useful for covert operations | It is not useful for stealth operations |
| Heat | Less heat is produced by this light. | Traditional incandescent lights produce more heat. |
| Energy Efficiency | IR LED lights operate with minimum power consumption | Traditional lights lead to higher power consumption |
| Range | These lights offer night vision over long distances | These lights cover a limited range of illumination |
| Applications | Wildlife monitoring, security surveillance, night vision optics, etc. | Normal lighting for visibility in the dark |
Guide To Choosing the Right IR LED Light
1. Focus on Your Application Requirement
The wavelength, angle, beam pattern, and power requirements of IR LEDs will vary depending on their use in sensors, cameras, remote controls, etc. So, first, you need to specify the needs and intended use of your project.
2. Choose the Right Wavelength
850 nm and 940 nm are the most common wavelengths for IR LED lights. If you need light completely invisible to human eyes, choose a 940 nm wavelength. It is great for stealth operations. Furthermore, if you need the IR LED for security purposes, then 850 nm is right for you.
3. Consider Beam Angle (Half-Angle)
Choose a smaller beam angle of 10-20 degrees when you want to target a specific area. Moreover, you need a larger beam angle of 30-60 degrees to illuminate a broader area.
4. Focus On Power Requirements
You should choose a higher power for long-distance viewing and a lower power for short-distance viewing. For example, remote controls can operate with 20-100 mA currents, but surveillance cameras need 500 mA or more.
5. Do Not Forget Weatherproofing and Waterproofing
Use weatherproof and waterproof IR LEDs for outdoor use. Select an IP rating of IP66 for your device. The first digit indicates resistance against dust. On a scale of 0-6, 6 means completely dust-tight. After that, the second digit indicates water-resistant properties. On a scale of 0-8, 8 means complete protection against water.
How to Choose Between 850 nm and 940 nm?
You should choose the wavelength of IR LEDs depending on your specific use. To elaborate, 940 nm IR LED lights are more efficient in covert operations. It is best for wildlife monitoring because it is invisible to most animals. Despite that, sometimes it provides a shorter range of visibility than 850 nm.
On the other hand, 850 nm IR LED lights are better for night vision applications, hunting, and security cameras. It offers a better image quality in IR cameras with a longer lifespan. However, it emits a red glow visible to human eyes.
Infrared LED Light Therapy
Infrared LED lights are used in therapeutics for numerous health conditions. For example, this safe light-based method can relieve pain, reduce muscle tension, improve blood circulation, accelerate the healing process, etc.
Moreover, near-infrared light penetrates deeper skin layers. Then the cell’s mitochondria absorb this energy and promote biological mechanisms. This painless treatment will also strengthen the immune system of your body.
Limitations of IR LED Light
- IR LED-based systems can only form black-and-white images.
- The effectiveness of IR sensors is interfered with by factors like rain, sunlight, fog, dust, etc.
- IR transmission does not provide a wide viewing area.
- Dark objects reflect a small percentage of IR light. It is not always enough to identify that object.
FAQs
The Bottom Line
To select the right IR LED light, consider your intended use. Then look for the right wavelength, beam angle, radiation intensity, and IP rating. The IR LEDs will come in handy for your surveillance projects or hunting purposes. However, always purchase lighting from a reliable manufacturer that offers a warranty.
