Revolutionizing warfare: eSWIR focal plane cameras in next-generation combat systems

Extended short-wave infrared (eSWIR) focal plane arrays (FPAs) are at the forefront of transforming modern combat systems, offering unprecedented visibility and coded spot tracking performance across diverse battlefield scenarios. This paper details Sensors Unlimited, Inc.’s (SUI) eSWIR technology advancements across two extended wavelength domains – eSWIR and xSWIR and their integration into SUI’s advanced camera platforms. These designs, which leverage revolutionary algorithms and calibration, enable operation across broad temperature ranges, without the needs of traditional cryogenic cooled systems. This paper also highlights challenges in miniaturization, power efficiency, and cost-effectiveness, as well as the collaborative efforts driving innovation toward scalable deployment.

Recent detector development includes the design, processing, packaging, and testing of novel, eSWIR avalanche photodiodes (APDs). Both Geiger and linear mode device data are presented in comparison to results predicted by TCAD simulations. Parameters including noise, sensitivity, and response time are examined in the context of suitability for remote sensing and laser spot-tracking applications where long-range capability is prioritized. Pathways to integration of the new eSWIR arrays and the small-pitch SWIR APDs into larger imaging and/or laser tracking systems are explored.

SUI’s onsite epitaxial growth capabilities and advanced materials designs, such as strained-layer superlattices, enables rapid-response detector development, accelerating world class performance in sensitivity, reduced noise, and improved thermal performance, all critical to precision-guided munitions, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions.