Large format, small pixel pitch and hot detectors at SOFRADIR

Abstract

Recently Sofradir joined a very small circle of IR detector manufacturers with expertise every aspect of the cooled and uncooled IR technologies, all under one roof by consolidating all IR technologies available in France. These different technologies are complementary and are used depending of the needs of the applications mainly concerning the detection range needs as well as their ability to detect in bad weather environmental conditions. SNAKE (InGaAs) and SCORPIO LW (MCT) expand Sofradir's line of small pixel pitch TV format IR detectors from the mid-wavelength to the short and long wavelengths. Our dual band MW-LW QWIP detectors (25μm, 384×288 pixels) benefit to tactical platforms giving an all-weather performance and increasing flexibility in the presence of battlefield obscurants. In parallel we have been pursuing further infrared developments on future MWIR detectors, such as the VGA format HOT detector that consumes 2W and the 10μm pitch IR detector which gives us a leading position in innovation. These detectors are designed for long-range surveillance equipment, commander or gunner sights, ground-to-ground missile launchers and other applications that require higher resolution and sensitivity to improve reconnaissance and target identification. This paper discusses the system level performance in each detector type.