HOW DOES IT WORK?

1.  Available light (energy) is collected by the objective lens and focused on the image intensifier.

2.  Inside the intensifier a photocathode is "excited" by the light and converts the energy into electrons.

3.  The electrons accelerate across an electrostatic field inside the intensifier and strike a phosphor screen (like a monochrome TV screen), which emits an image that you can see.  This acceleration of electrons provides gain and enhances the image.

Types of Night Vision

Generation 1

Does not require an active infrared light source. Instead it amplifies available ambient light.

Advanced Night Vision

Utilizes fiber optic bundles to eliminate distortion and noise resulting in a high-resolution, high-contrast premium image. Superior contrast allows you to see dark subjects against darker backgrounds. Lower distortion renders a flatter, less rounded image with crisper details.

Night Vision Binocular

Two complete sets of optics and image intensifiers that are connected together and share a common power supply.

Night Vision Monocular

A Night Vision device for use with one eye.

Audio Monocular

Features direct sound amplification technology.  Headphones, boom microphone and recording port included.

Important Terms

Angle or Field of View

The measure of the angle defining the field visible through the Night Vision system at a distance of 100 yards.

Bright Source or Over-Light Protection

An electronic circuit that turns the power to the Night Vision device down or off when it is exposed to bright light (such as automobile headlights).  This protects the image intensifier and extends its life.  The device will recover and resume normal operation in 1-2 minutes.

Eyepiece Focus

Used to match your Night Vision scope or binocular to your specific eyesight

Image Intensifier or Intensifier Tube

The active component in a Night Vision System that amplifies light and presents a usable image.

Infrared (I.R.) Illuminator

Provides a light source for the system to amplify, yielding enhanced images in very low light conditions such as caves where no ambient light is available for amplification.

Built-In Dual-Beam Infrared Illuminators

Allows you to adjust the I.R. from low to high power according to your needs-high beam for pin-point illumination, and low beam for wide angle illumination.

Objective Lens

Collects all available light and focuses it on the image intensifier.  It also provides image magnification.  The best objective lenses have low magnification (5x or less), are high-speed (f2 or faster) and are coated for maximum efficiency in the near-infrared bandwidth.

Phosphor Screen

Positioned at the back of the intensifier tube, the green phosphor screen renders a visible night vision image.  The human eye is most sensitive to green contrasts.

Photocathode

Converts light (photon energy) into electrons (electrical energy) which are then amplified in the intensifier.  The objective lens focuses available light on the photo-electric surface of the photocathode which is excited and passes electrons within the tube.

Resolution

A measure of the ability to render and display a detailed image.  Image intensifier resolution remains constant and is expressed as the maximum number of line pairs per millimeter (lp/mm) that can be discerned when a black-and-white stripe pattern is focused on the photocathode.