The NIR LEDs support sensing in VR, health, industry, and home devices with lower power use, higher accuracy, and flexible design options.
ROHM has expanded its lineup of surface-mount near-infrared (NIR) LEDs with new top-view models. These LEDs are designed for use in VR/AR devices, optical sensors, and human detection systems.
The use of NIR-based sensing technology has increased in recent years, particularly in VR/AR equipment and biosensing devices. These are used in applications such as eye tracking, iris recognition, and blood flow or oxygen saturation measurements. At the same time, there is growing demand for smaller size, lower power consumption, and flexible design. In industrial equipment, NIR LEDs support printer control and automation systems.
To meet these needs, ROHM is offering more options through a range of package sizes and wavelengths that support various designs. These also help improve sensing accuracy and reduce power use through higher radiant intensity.
The lineup includes six models in three package types. Two models, SML-P14RW and SML-P14R3W, are in a small, thin format as part of the PICOLED series. Each package is available in two wavelengths: 850nm and 940nm. The 850nm type works well with phototransistors and sensors, making it useful for eye tracking and object detection. The 940nm type is less affected by sunlight and does not emit visible red light, making it suitable for motion sensing and biosensing uses such as pulse oximetry.
Some of the applications of the LEDs include:
- VR/AR: eye and hand tracking
- Health: blood oxygen checks
- Industry: object, position, paper, and card detection
- Home: remotes, robot vacuums (floor sensing)
The LEDs use a NIR element with an emission layer structure developed through ROHM’s own manufacturing process. This design allows for higher radiant intensity in a small size. For example, the SML-P14RW produces about 1.4 times the radiant intensity of a typical 1006-size product at the same current and uses 30% less power to reach the same intensity. This supports better sensing and lower power use for the system.
