Ushio launches High Power Short Wavelength Infrared (SWIR) LED achieving power outputs of 1.5 x higher than previous model
Ushio has recently announced its colossal success at achieving a 1.5 x higher power output1 with its new short wavelength infrared (SWIR) LED, equipped with a small size chip. Typically, in comparison with other wavelength regions, SWIR power output values are low thus restricting their application to proximity measurement and detection, irrespective of the measurement object and irradiation area. Usually, for applications that require high power output, there is no alternative other than to mount multiple LED chips which leads to not only higher costs but a bulky package. In response to this common drawback, Ushio has successfully achieved a higher output than before by deploying an MOCVD2 system and combining its existing SWIR laser diode technology with the engineering and expertise of EPITEX INC. EPITEX is specialised in the manufacture of SWIR LED and is the predecessor of the company’s LED manufacturing and development units. The overall outcome of the this new technical advancement is a greater application range of SWIR to large objects and the creation of possibility for application in many more agricultural products inspection, component detection and security applications. Many further yet unknown applications are expected to become evident in the near future, but SWIR technology is currently used in a number of applications for example to detect the presence and quantities of materials using the characteristics of materials such as water, ice and gas in absorbing infrared rays. In the medical industry, SWIR LEDs can be used as the main light source within devices such as a pulse oximeter that are used to measure blood oxygen saturation and within devices that can accurately measure levels of blood sugar. Furthermore, in the food industry, SWIR can accurately measure the moisture and sugar content of fruit and vegetables and when used in conjunction with an InGaAs camera, this enables high-speed processing and testing of water content in grain quality testing.- Compared to the previous model of Ushio OPTO SEMICONDUCTORS INC.
- An abbreviation of Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition, a crystal growth technique using an organic metal and gas, which is used to form a nitride single crystal multi-layer on a compound semiconductor such as an LED or semiconductor laser.
