ABSTRACT
The infrared cameras used for thermography are similar to digital video cameras. However, a major difference of these IR cameras over a home digital video camera is that the IR camera uses focal plane arrays (FPAs) to detect micrometer-sized pixels of materials that are sensitive to IR wavelengths instead of the charge-coupled device (CCD) in a home video camera. The main components of an IR camera are a lens that focuses IR onto a detector, associated electronics, and software for processing and displaying signals and images. The resolution of the FPA can be 1024 × 1024 pixels. IR cameras have built-in software that allows the user to focus on a particular area of the FPA and calculate the temperature. IR cameras have temperature measurement precision better than ±1°C. IR cameras typically use silicon and germanium materials in the FPA.
