Impacts and Mitigation Strategies of Sun Exposure on Uncooled Microbolometer Image Sensors

Thermal imaging cameras based on uncooled microbolometers are becoming widely used in video security applications. These cameras can be deployed in fixed and pan/tilt configurations. Since the sun can enter into the field of view for these applications, it is important to understand and to mitigate the effects of solar exposure in the camera design process. This paper quantifies the effects of sun exposure on Vanadium Oxide (VOX) and amorphous silicon (α-Si) thermal cameras.