Night vision imaging images are known for their eerie green sheen. At the end of the image intensifier tube, electrons strike a screen with a phosphorescent coating. These electrons maintain their relative positions as they pass through the microchannel, which ensures the integrity of the image, as the electrons are arranged in the same way as the initial photons. The energy carried by these electrons causes phosphorous to reach an excited state and release photons.

Visible light is weak at night, but infrared rays invisible to the human eye are abundant. Infrared night vision devices can help people observe, search, aim, and drive vehicles at night. Although infrared ray was discovered early, the development of infrared remote sensing technology has been slow due to the limitations of infrared components. It was not until 1940, when lead sulfide and several infrared transmissive materials were developed in Germany, that the birth of infrared remote sensing instruments became possible. After that, Germany first developed several infrared detection instruments such as active infrared night vision devices. In an encounter with the British tank column, German Leopard tanks equipped with infrared sighting devices destroyed two British firefly tanks in one fell swoop. It is worth mentioning that the German army used active infrared night vision devices in this campaign, so there was also an owl infrared searchlight vehicle that used infrared light to illuminate the Leopard tank in the distance during the battle.