Terminology » Other Wireless » Infrared (IR) vs. Ultraviolet (UV): Key Differences Explained

Infrared (IR) vs. Ultraviolet (UV): Key Differences Explained

infrared ultraviolet radiation wavelength frequency

This article explores the differences between Infrared (IR) and Ultraviolet (UV) radiation, focusing on their frequency, wavelength, range, advantages, and disadvantages.

Infrared (IR)

  • Wavelength: 760 nm to 1 mm
  • Communication Distance: Short and medium ranges in LiFi and OCC
  • Advantages: Invisible to the human eye
  • Disadvantages: Can be unsafe. Requires Line-of-Sight (LOS) communication, with very limited Non-Line-of-Sight (NLOS) communication possible using infrared wave reflection.
  • Applications: LiFi, OCC (Optical Camera Communication), FSO (Free Space Optical) communication, LiDAR

The table below details the sub-bands of Infrared radiation, including their respective frequency and wavelength values.

IR Sub BandsFrequencyWavelength
Far Infrared (FIR)0.3 to 20 THz1 to 0.015 mm
Long Wavelength Infrared (LWIR)20 to 37.5 THz0.015 to 0.008 mm
Mid Wavelength Infrared (MWIR)37 to 100 THz0.008 mm to 0.003 mm
Short Wavelength Infrared (SWIR)100 to 214.3 THz3000000 to 1400 nm
Near Infrared (NIR)214.3 to 394.7 THz1400 to 760 nm

Ultraviolet (UV)

  • Wavelength: 10 to 400 nm
  • Communication Distance: Short and medium ranges in LiFi
  • Advantages: High data rate NLOS communication is possible, invisible to the human eye.
  • Disadvantages: Not safe for human exposure.
  • Applications: LiFi, FSO

The following table outlines the sub-bands of UV radiation, along with their corresponding frequency and wavelength values.

UV sub bandsFrequencyWavelength
Ultraviolet A (UVA)750 to 952.4 THz400 to 315 nm
Ultraviolet B (UVB)952.4 to 1071 THz315 to 280 nm
Ultraviolet C (UVC)1.071 to 3 PHz280 to 100 nm
Near Ultraviolet (NUV)0.750 to 1 PHz400 to 300 nm
Middle Ultraviolet1 to 1.5 PHz300 to 200 nm
Far Ultraviolet1.5 to 2.459 PHz200 to 122 nm
Hydrogen Lyman-alpha2.459 to 2.479 PHz122 to 121 nm
Extreme ultra violet (EUV)2.479 to 30 PHz121 to 10 nm
Vacuum ultraviolet1.5 to 30 PHz200 to 10 nm