Typically we define near infrared (NIR) from 780 nm to 1400 nm and shortwave infrared (SWIR) from 1400 nm to 3000 nm. But it is also common to refer to the entire range from 780 nm up to 3000 nm as NIR or SWIR.
The NIR/SWIR region has multiple advantages, and some of the most well-known ones are discussed below.
Beyond visible
NIR and SWIR wavelengths aren’t visible to human eyes and have less energy than UV and visible wavelengths, but the light still interacts with objects. So in the case of NIR/SWIR imaging, we can capture images of objects and see aspects that we couldn’t see in the visual range.
In addition, longer wavelengths can be used to look through plastic packaging and silicon, providing another method for nondestructive testing.
Example applications: