IR Spectrum Range, NVG Unit Visibility??

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - IR Spectrum Range, NVG Unit Visibility??

Posted: 1/2/2019 10:56:29 AM EDT

I’m looking for what spectrum of IR light Gen3 NVG units are able to see. What range of Ir light are most illuminators, laser and LED based? Tried looking up specs of different units and came up empty.

Posted: 1/2/2019 11:00:53 AM EDT

[#1]

OPSEC bro!

Just kidding, most IR illuminators and lasers are 850nm and 910nm

Posted: 1/2/2019 11:06:53 AM EDT

[#2]

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Quoted:
OPSEC bro!

Just kidding, most IR illuminators and lasers are 850nm and 910nm

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That’s about what I found too. But how about the full range that Gen3 units can see? 700nm-1000nm ish?

Posted: 1/2/2019 12:09:37 PM EDT

[#3]

Quoted:
I’m looking for what spectrum of IR light Gen3 NVG units are able to see. What range of Ir light are most illuminators, laser and LED based? Tried looking up specs of different units and came up empty.

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What are you planning to do with the light? PM me if needed. Harris and L3 tubes are most sensitive in the 815-850nm range and drop off drastically at 880 and above to 940. The Photinis 4G INTENS (NOT ECHO TUBES, even though some here market that) can see out of band in the 1100 ranges.

Either way PM if you like, we can chat about all the real world options and capabilities of a 2000 word synopsis.

Posted: 1/2/2019 5:04:02 PM EDT

[#4]

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That’s about what I found too. But how about the full range that Gen3 units can see? 700nm-1000nm ish?

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The Gen 3 GaAs photocathode becomes transparent above a certain near IR wavelength. Don't know if the structure or doping of the PC changes it from the textbook value (890nm I think?). At 950nm or so, it's fully transparent and I've been able to take photographs of the MCP thru the photocathode under ~950nm illumination. A transparent photocathode is not a good photocathode. The appeal of 910nm illuminators is the reduced perceived dull red glow but on the basis of illumination per watt, they're substantially less effective than something at 850nm. Gen 3 tubes are entirely blind to 1064nm. A 1064nm laser (~10mW) is completely invisible to a Gen 3 tube whereas a CCD camera sees it just fine.

Posted: 1/3/2019 6:16:54 AM EDT

[#5]

Didn't we beat this horse on another platform?

Posted: 1/4/2019 7:49:58 PM EDT

[#6]

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Quoted:
Didn't we beat this horse on another platform?

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you could provide some information, instead of being your cryptic but not answering self

sensitivity of some of the phosphors used in nvd devices, excluding the newer ones

ir lights using leds are noted by their primary output frequency. the output of an led is like this

which shows that the output is a spread of ir in wavelength, with a peak at the output wavelength.
the above is the output of a osram 850nm led.

ir semiconductor lasers are noted by their typical output wavelength, though the device itself may output +/- 10nm typically from the output wavelength

Posted: 1/5/2019 12:34:12 AM EDT

[#7]

You can go with Photonis 4G aka ECHO if you are looking for extended spectral ranges. (goes below 1100nm)
There are tactical advantages in that.

Posted: 1/5/2019 2:25:44 AM EDT

[#8]

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Quoted:
You can go with Photonis 4G aka ECHO if you are looking for extended spectral ranges. (goes below 1100nm)
There are tactical advantages in that.

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No not with the Echo. See above what I wrote...I've tested several of them and they do not consistently go OOB. Only the 4G INTENS do. Been reporting this for awhile now.

Posted: 1/5/2019 2:27:24 AM EDT

[#9]

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Quoted:

you could provide some information, instead of being your cryptic but not answering self

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He posted this on FB, a patch company tagged in TNVC dudes and it turned into an L3 vs PD shit show. We all know L3 are cucks though so whatever.

Posted: 1/5/2019 4:28:27 AM EDT

[#10]

Quote History

Quoted:
You can go with Photonis 4G aka ECHO if you are looking for extended spectral ranges. (goes below 1100nm)
There are tactical advantages in that.

View Quote

True that. The only problem is finding a weapons grade 1064 IR laser or light. I'm still looking and haven't found anything except Chinese LED that I can DIY into some McGyver gizmo with duct tape.

The advantage is only theoretical if no mountable IR laser exists to take advantage of Photonis' capabilities.

Posted: 1/5/2019 7:02:37 AM EDT

[#11]

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Quoted:

True that. The only problem is finding a weapons grade 1064 IR laser or light. I'm still looking and haven't found anything except Chinese LED that I can DIY into some McGyver gizmo with duct tape.

The advantage is only theoretical if no mountable IR laser exists to take advantage of Photonis' capabilities.

View Quote

Grab a 1064nm bandpass filter and any cheap Chinese green laser you want. About 10-20% of the total power output is at 1064nm. Not weapons grade but a starting point. Getting 5-10mW at 1064nm which is enough to get a good beam and point at things. Properly diverged, it's not a horrible illuminator either.

Posted: 1/5/2019 7:05:28 AM EDT

[#12]

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Grab a 1064nm bandpass filter and any cheap Chinese green laser you want. About 10-20% of the total power output is at 1064nm. Not weapons grade but a starting point. Getting 5-10mW at 1064nm which is enough to get a good beam and point at things. Properly diverged, it's not a horrible illuminator either.

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I use one w an ir filter glued on and it can be focused. Total cost for a kickass illuminator that runs off a single 18650 was about 20 bucks

Posted: 1/5/2019 7:10:45 AM EDT

[#13]

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I use one w an ir filter glued on and it can be focused. Total cost for a kickass illuminator that runs off a single 18650 was about 20 bucks

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Actual 1064nm filter? These lasers also bleed out a lot of the 808nm pump laser output which really lights up Gen 3. Can also remove the focusing lens, pop off the crystal, and refocus it for the pump laser. Mutilated a $3 eBay "green" laser pointer and now it outputs ~120mW of IR at 808nm. Literally can point at (low altitude) clouds.

Posted: 1/5/2019 7:17:13 AM EDT

[#14]

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Quoted:

Actual 1064nm filter? These lasers also bleed out a lot of the 808nm pump laser output which really lights up Gen 3. Can also remove the focusing lens, pop off the crystal, and refocus it for the pump laser. Mutilated a $3 eBay "green" laser pointer and now it outputs ~120mW of IR at 808nm. Literally can point at (low altitude) clouds.

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Nah filtered that one at either 7 something or 850nm to use w regular tubes. Dude post a tutorial on that because holy shit that sounds amazing. I used a burning green laser on sale at banggood for the the project, a locking ring and a focus lens as an illuminator/painter. Unsure how much it puts out but it's no joke. I'll have to point it at clouds to see if it's as good as yours.

Posted: 1/5/2019 7:31:06 AM EDT

[#15]

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Quoted:

Nah filtered that one at either 7 something or 850nm to use w regular tubes. Dude post a tutorial on that because holy shit that sounds amazing. I used a burning green laser on sale at banggood for the the project, a locking ring and a focus lens as an illuminator/painter. Unsure how much it puts out but it's no joke. I'll have to point it at clouds to see if it's as good as yours.

View Quote

Not much to it, the lasing crystal/frequency doubler is behind the focusing lens. Little C shaped brass piece that's aligned and then cemented in. Pop off the cement and the laser diode is exposed. Reinstall the lens and you're good to go. Was surprised to get ~120mW of IR. Focusing lens is pretty slow and positioned further away than it should but the output was more than sufficient to keep me happy. Have a 16W diode laser waiting to be fiddled with. Not gonna point that one at clouds.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - IR Spectrum Range, NVG Unit Visibility??

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