The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), in collaboration with Amethyst Research and Lancaster University, has developed a novel detector architecture for thermal cameras. This innovation aims to address a major drawback of current high-performance thermal imaging systems, which require cooling to extremely low temperatures, around -193°C.
The new design combines a thin absorber layer, a semiconductor layer that reflects infrared light, and sub-wavelength structuring to enhance absorption. These features have reportedly increased the detector's efficiency by more than 10 times while also reducing 'thermal noise'.
This work could lead to thermal cameras that operate at higher temperatures, closer to -123°C, making them smaller, lighter, and less power-hungry. Such advancements could enable wider applications for thermal imaging, including deployment on small platforms, drones, or for use by soldiers.