In pursuit of advanced, CMOS-based infrared (IR) sensors for aerospace and defense applications, IR sensor innovator Lynred has launched the High Efficiency Read Out Circuits (HEROIC) four-year European Defence Fund project. The program involves a consortium of 10 partner companies from the European Union (EU) also striving to consolidate the supply chain of components required for the development and production of advanced IR sensors.
Some of the consortium members are competitors, seeking to share and diminish common problems in the use of CMOS technology for the development of next-generation IR sensors for both commercial and military markets. In addition to Lynred, consortium members include IR manufacturers AIM and Xenics, system integrators Kongsberg, Miltech Hellas, and PCO S.A., and research institution CEA-Leti and the University of Seville.
David Billon-Lanfrey, Chief Strategy Officer at Lynred, said, “Lynred is proud to collaborate on this game-changing project aimed at securing European industrial sovereignty in the design and supply of IR sensors.”
He added, “This project represents the first phase for European IR manufacturers to gain access to a superior CMOS technology compatible with various IR detectors and 2D/3D architectures, and equally importantly, make it available within a robust EU supply chain.”
The far-looking project is seeking to meet the IR technology expectations of defense systems to 2030 and beyond by sharing access to the latest CMOS technologies.