Infrared Space Image Sensors

Funded by EU H2020 programme, SWIRup consortium is developing SWIR (wavelengths up to 2.5 μm) image sensors that do not require cryogenic cooling.

Space Discovery

SWIR image sensors benefit non-space hyperspectral instruments, which use image sensors detecting light signals at different wavelengths. They find applications in urban planning, mineral mapping, search-and-rescue, and forestry.

Space missions rely heavily on image sensors.For many space missions (e.g. earth observation and gas sensing), image sensors working in the upper band of shortwave infrared (SWIR) region are needed to complement visible light image sensors.

SWIR image sensors also benefit non-space hyperspectral instruments, which again use image sensors detecting light signals at different wavelengths. They find applications in urban planning, mineral mapping, search-and-rescue, and forestry.

Existing SWIR image sensors require cryogenic cooling to 150 to 200 K (-123 to -63 °C), contributing significant additional volume, weight and power consumption to the optical payload of the satellite. Funded by EU H2020 programme, SWIRup consortium is developing SWIR (wavelengths upto 2.5 μm) image sensors that do not require cryogenic cooling. EEE at The University of Sheffield is a partner of the SWIRup consortium led by Thales Alenia Space, France.

To operate without cryogenic cooling, the SWIRup sensors must operate at higher temperatures, at around 230 to 290 K (-43 to 17 °C). This is challenging because reducing operating temperature suppresses the leakage current (or dark current) of the sensors, which is a dominant source of the image sensor’s noise.

To address this challenge, SWIRup consortium is developing two different image sensor technologies, namely InGaAs/GaAsSb superlattice photodiodes (grown on InP substrates) and HgCdTe photodiodes (grown on CdZnTe substrates).

Lead Researchers

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