Semiconductor Type:
IT/Thermal Sensors
Infrared (IR) and thermal sensors detect heat signatures and non-visible radiation, enabling vision and measurement in conditions where visible light is insufficient. They are critical for defense, automotive safety, industrial monitoring, building automation, and medical diagnostics. Semiconductor IR and thermal sensors use a mix of MEMS bolometers, thermopiles, pyroelectrics, and photon detectors depending on wavelength and sensitivity requirements.
Role in the Semiconductor Ecosystem
- Provide non-contact temperature and heat imaging, complementing visible-light image sensors.
- Enable safety and navigation in low-light or obscured environments (smoke, fog, night driving).
- Leverage MEMS and CMOS integration for cost-effective IR cameras and modules.
- Deployed across civilian, industrial, and military markets, making them dual-use technologies subject to export controls.
IR & Thermal Sensor Categories
- Thermopile Sensors: Detect IR radiation via temperature difference across thermocouples; low-cost, single-point sensing.
- Pyrroelectric Detectors: Use changes in polarization with temperature; widely used in motion detectors and security systems.
- Uncooled Microbolometers: MEMS structures that change resistance with IR absorption; foundation of thermal cameras.
- Photon Detectors: InSb, HgCdTe, and other III–V semiconductors for mid-IR and long-wave IR; require cryogenic cooling.
- Quantum Dot & Emerging Materials: Colloidal QDs and 2D materials for low-cost IR imaging-on-chip.
Representative Vendors
| Vendor | Technology | Applications | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teledyne FLIR | Uncooled microbolometers, photon detectors | Defense, industrial, public safety | Market leader; large defense footprint |
| Lynred (France) | HgCdTe photon detectors, bolometers | Military, aerospace, industrial | Strong in cooled IR sensors |
| onsemi | Thermopiles, IR imagers | Automotive, industrial monitoring | Integration with automotive ADAS platforms |
| Melexis | MEMS thermopiles | Automotive cabin, HVAC | Low-cost, mass-market deployment |
| Seek Thermal | Low-cost thermal imaging modules | Consumer, DIY, industrial | Partners with smartphones and IoT vendors |
| InfraTec (Germany) | High-end cooled IR detectors | Defense, aerospace, research | Specialist in precision thermal sensors |
Applications
- Automotive:
- Night Vision: Long-wave IR cameras integrated into ADAS systems for pedestrian and animal detection in low-light conditions. Enhances driver awareness and safety in luxury and high-end vehicles.
- Thermal Pedestrian Detection: Complementary to radar and LiDAR, providing redundancy in autonomous driving stacks.
- Cabin Monitoring: Thermopiles used for HVAC optimization and driver attention monitoring.
- See also Automotive & Robotics Image Sensors for visible-spectrum and sensor fusion coverage.
- Defense & Security: Targeting, surveillance, missile guidance, UAV payloads.
- Industrial: Equipment monitoring, predictive maintenance, fire detection.
- Medical: Non-invasive temperature screening, fever detection, imaging diagnostics.
- Consumer & IoT: Smart home HVAC, motion sensing, personal safety devices.
Market Outlook
The IR & thermal sensor market is valued at ~$6B (2023) and projected to reach ~$10B by 2030 (~7% CAGR). Growth is driven by automotive ADAS adoption, industrial predictive maintenance, and defense modernization. Low-cost MEMS bolometers and smartphone modules are expanding civilian use, while cooled photon detectors remain essential in aerospace and defense. Emerging quantum dot and 2D material devices could reduce costs further and push thermal sensing into mainstream consumer electronics.
