Infrared (IR) technology is commonplace in our lives today. It involves the use of IR radiation in communicating & detecting information. We see it in operation within remote controls of television sets, CD players and other personal electronic systems; as also in defence & security systems such as night vision & thermal imaging. Apart from these, IR technology is also being explored for augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices for individuals with mobility impairments, in assistive navigational systems, and also in remote access of various environmental control systems. One of the key components of this technology is the IR photodetector – which detects the IR radiation from the source and converts it into an electrical response for further processing. Quantum dot infrared photodetectors (QDIPs) are an emerging candidate for IR technology due to their high sensitivity and low background noise (dark current). These devices are nanostructures that operate on quantum mechanical principles and are under intense research.
Here are stories from our lab on our advances in IR detector devices.
Improved ‘size zero’ IR Photodetector
Structurally modified quantum dot infrared photodetector demonstrate high performance