LYNRED's extended shortwave infrared product line and recent developments

The short-wave infrared (SWIR) spectral band is an emerging field due to its significant potential. This spectral region offers new opportunities across various applications, including defense and security (night vision, active imaging), space (Earth observation), transportation (automotive safety), and industry (non-destructive process control, food and plastic sorting). The primary technology for SWIR imaging relies on lattice-matched InGaAs/InP heterostructures, but its spectral range remains limited. For many defense and industrial applications, extended SWIR (eSWIR) would provide a substantial advantage over standard SWIR.

At LYNRED, eSWIR is gaining considerable interest for ground-based applications. This spectral band has been studied, developed, and optimized for decades in space applications using HgCdTe legacy technology, which combines high performance, stability, and reliability. Additionally, the large wafer format and simplified process flow make this technology compatible with high production yield and capacity. Building on this expertise, LYNRED is developing a focal plane array (FPA) based on this technology for high-performance, high-speed ground applications. To deliver the first prototypes, the FPA is integrated into an Integrated Detector Dewar Cryocooler Assembly (IDDCA), operating at 190 K using the "plug-up platform" previously developed for high operating temperature applications in the mid-wave infrared (MWIR) range.