Video rate nine-band multispectral short-wave infrared sensor

Short-wave infrared (SWIR) imaging sensors are increasingly being used in surveillance and reconnaissance systems due to the reduced scatter in haze and the spectral response of materials over this wavelength range. Typically SWIR images have been provided either as full motion video from framing panchromatic systems or as spectral data cubes from line-scanning hyperspectral or multispectral systems. Here, we describe and characterize a system that bridges this divide, providing nine-band spectral images at 30 Hz. The system integrates a custom array of filters onto a commercial SWIR InGaAs array. We measure the filter placement and spectral response. We demonstrate a simple simulation technique to facilitate optimization of band selection for future sensors.