The new BSM technology provides a better solution to traditional sputtering and plating processes, addressing the reliability, warpage, and increasing thermal management challenges in hybrid bonding, wafer and Panel Level Packaging (PLP) metallization.

As AI chips and high-performance computing devices continue to push the limits of processing power, thermal density has risen significantly, making efficient heat dissipation more critical than ever. Reliable bonding between semiconductor packages and Thermal Interface Materials (TIM) is essential for effective heat transfer. However, conventional BSM methods—such as sputtering and plating—pose challenges related to cost, equipment requirements, scaling at larger panels, and environmental impact.

By leveraging Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany’s expertise in semiconductor coating processes and Electroninks’s Metal-Organic Decomposition (MOD) Ink technology, this collaboration aims to redefine the standards for BSM in advanced semiconductor packaging.

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany and Electroninks remain committed to advancing their strategy and commercial offerings in advanced packaging. With the commercialization of this pioneering BSM technology, which is now underway at customer sites globally,  they aim to contribute to the advancement of high-efficiency, more sustainable semiconductor packaging solutions on silicon wafer, as well as panel level processing where limited solutions exist today.

The companies plan to develop and market this technology together to customers in the near future, with on-site technical support in the US and APAC.

Find out more at www.electroninks.com

Although the INFRGY smart circuit is relatively small, the prototype performs multiple functions at the same time, and can be thought of as several devices in one. The device transmits an ultra-high frequency RF signal, which is converted into DC electricity. Simultaneously it captures electromagnetic energy in the environment and converts it to DC current as well. The combined current can then be used as DC or further converted into AC current. Presently more testing and research is being conducted at high technology institutions in India.

Co-founder Parvez Rishi feels that corroboration is the key to widespread adoption of this technology. “Although we have documented and verified our claims at the Institute of Technology, we understand that there will be skepticism about the ability to harvest enough ambient energy for output to exceed input. However, ambient energy is already being harvested from sources like the sun, wind and water.” He goes on to say, “we welcome the opportunity to demonstrate our technology to all interested parties, and look forward to further development with industry and academic partners”.

The high demand for fossil fuels has pushed researchers and innovators to search for renewable energy technologies to mitigate the effects of air pollution and greenhouse gases on the planet. Parvez Rishi adds: “Our goal is to introduce INFRGY’s technology, which incorporates both renewable and wireless energy. The potential is limitless”.

FD-SOI is a planar CMOS technology that offers the best PPAC-E (Performance, Power, Area, Cost and Environmental impact) for mixed circuits (mixing digital, analogue and radio-frequency blocks). It offers tight electrostatic control at the transistor level and is well suited for power management.

The booming FD-SOI market is therefore anticipating the 10nm and 7nm next-generation nodes.
“By integrating and combining a set of cutting-edge technologies, the FAMES pilot line will open the door to disruptive system-on-chip architectures and provide smarter, greener and more efficient solutions for future chips. The FAMES project will indeed pay special attention to semiconductor sustainability challenges,”
said Jean-René Lèquepeys, CTO of CEA-Leti.

The line is also supported by the European semiconductor ecosystem, called Chips JU.

“The Chips Joint Undertaking (Chips JU) is proud to contribute to this strategic initiative and strengthen the EU’s sovereignty in a critical domain. This pilot line will advance essential semiconductor technologies, while maintaining a strong focus on sustainability, and foster the collaboration between several European actors. The Chips JU aims to act as a catalyst and a model for further public and private collaborations in key areas,” explained Jari Kinaret, the Chips JU executive director.

The FAMES Consortium brings together companies including Imec (Belgium), Fraunhofer Mikroelektronik (Germany), Tyndall (Ireland), VTT (Finland), CEZAMAT WUT (Poland), UCLouvain (Belgium), Silicon Austria Labs (Austria), SiNANO Institute (France), Grenoble INP-UGA (France) and the University of Granada (Spain).

The five new technologies will create market opportunities for low-power microcontrollers (MCU), multi-processor units (MPU), cutting-edge AI and machine learning devices, smart data-fusion processors, RF devices, chips for 5G/6G, chips for automotive markets, smart sensors and imagers, trusted chips and new space components.

The pilot line will be accessible to all EU stakeholders (universities, RTOs, SMEs and industrial companies)
and all like-minded countries through annual open calls and upon request, following a fair and non-discriminatory selection process.

The project will benefit from funding that will be provided in equal parts by participating member states and the Chips JU.

The integration-friendly AI-BMS-on-chip can unlock 10% additional capacity and enhance battery lifespan by up to 25%, while substantially reducing time-to-market. The optimised solution delivers exceptional performance and efficiency in a remarkably cost-effective package, combining Eatron’s Intelligent Software Layer with Syntiant’s ultra-low power Neural Decision Processor.

Eatron’s pre-trained models deliver state-of-health, state-of-charge, and remaining useful life assessments with exceptional accuracy out of the box, thereby maximising available power. Predictive diagnostics, meanwhile, can detect potential battery issues long before they occur, enhancing safety.

By capitalising on the efficient processing power of Syntiant’s NDP120, the AI-BMS-on-chip can operate on the edge, where it can deliver real-time analysis and decision-making directly on the device without needing to rely on complex cloud infrastructure that would otherwise introduce cost, latency and power consumption issues.

The jointly-developed plug-and-play solution will bring performance, safety and longevity enhancements to a wide range of battery-powered applications, from consumer electronics and e-bikes to micro LCVs and forklifts. The AI-BMS-on-chip can be customised through a user-friendly toolchain that allows it to be optimised to each individual application, while existing BMS hardware can be easily upgraded to take advantage of its best-in-class performance.

“We are now running our latest AI models completely integrated on the edge in the Syntiant chip,” said Amedeo Bianchimano, Chief Product Delivery Officer at Eatron Technologies. “With AI-BMS-on-chip, we can ensure any battery-powered application can be deployed in the millions in complete safety while getting the most out of the battery.”

“Our NDP120 allows Eatron’s software to process all the data on the edge for batteries,” said Mallik P. Moturi, Chief Business Officer at Syntiant Corp. “It enhances battery life, safety and performance. This makes it perfect for everything from consumer electronics all the way to commercial vehicles.”

Eatron and Syntiant will demonstrate the AI-BMS-on-chip at The Battery Show Europe 2024 from 18^th-20^th June at Messe Stuttgart, Germany.

The company has secured EUR 228.7 million public funding from the German Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia over the next 7 years under IPCEI ME/CT. Alongside the public funding, Black Semiconductor has secured an additional EUR 25.7 million in equity funding. The round was led by Porsche Ventures and Project A Ventures, with participation from leading venture capital firms, corporates, and industry leaders including Scania Growth, Capnamic, Tech Vision Fonds, and NRW.BANK, joining the seed round investors Vsquared Ventures, Cambium Capital, and Hermann Hauser’s Onsight Ventures. With the funding, the company is on track to realize the first phase of its vision: advancing a new generation of chip technology from research to mass production by 2031.

“We highly value the strong support of the government and renowned investors to jointly advance the development of novel technologies in Europe. The investment enables us to drive our product development and 300 mm wafer pilot production facility forward at full speed. As traditional chip technology moves closer to its technological and economic limits, our innovation paves the way for faster, more powerful, cost-efficient, and energy-efficient computation,” said Dr. Daniel Schall, co-founder and CEO of Black Semiconductor.

Dr. Daniel Schall and Sebastian Schall founded Black Semiconductor in 2020, aiming to build networks of chips with graphene. These new chip networks will speed up data communication between chips for unparalleled performance, improved energy-efficiency, and a significant reduction in manufacturing costs through 60% fewer production steps required. Black Semiconductor has the ambition to enable mass production of graphene semiconductors in full compliance with existing industry standards – a pioneering achievement for the industry. The company’s technology and hardware facilitate optical chip-to-chip connections, allowing chips to interact almost as if they were one. By overcoming current limitations in silicon chip architecture, this new technology addresses existing barriers for transformative applications across industries, including efficient data centers, generative and embedded AI, and autonomous driving.

With the fresh capital, Black Semiconductor will accelerate its R&D initiatives and establish pilot line manufacturing capabilities in Aachen, Germany, an important step towards fulfilling its long-term goal of producing and implementing high-quality graphene in Europe. The company plans to inaugurate a pilot manufacturing facility in Aachen by 2026, demonstrating the seamless integration of graphene into electronic chips. Additionally, Black Semiconductor aims to increase its headcount, planning to create 90 new high-tech positions, boosting its total workforce from 30 to 120 by 2026.

“Europe needs to focus on achieving independence in key enabling technologies to ensure the continent’s autonomy and economic stability amid geopolitical challenges and supply chain issues. Semiconductors have been a much-neglected industry. Black Semiconductor, with its great founding team, exceptional technological know-how and substantial funding, has the ability to bring back some of the much-needed technological sovereignty and become one of the key players in Europe,” said Uwe Horstmann, co-founder and General Partner of Project A.

Phlux Noiseless InGaAs avalanche photodiodes (APDs) are at the heart of the project. They are used as infrared sensors in FSOC receivers and are expected to deliver 6 dBm more sensitivity than traditional InGaAs APDs operating at 1550 nm. This means that they can detect much lower signal levels, enabling faster and higher bandwidth links with low latency to be developed. It also means that adequate performance can be maintained for longer periods because link integrity is maintained over a wider angle as the satellite passes overhead.

One of the key technical challenges with realising FSOC is that the infrared signals used to transmit data are diffracted as they pass through the troposphere, the atmospheric layer closest to Earth. Variations in our atmosphere’s air temperature, humidity and turbulence cause fluctuations in the intensity and angle of incidence of the infrared signal. This makes the beam wander over the signal detector area, limiting performance. This issue is being addressed by developing a large area, high sensitivity APD to produce a wider receptor.

A radiation-hard detector module being developed in this project has other potential applications including space debris monitoring, greenhouse gas detection, and space navigation.

Ben White, Phlux Technology CEO, said: “This project is an endorsement of the value of our patented APD technology developed at The University of Sheffield. With more than an order-of-magnitude improvement in sensitivity over traditional devices, we offer the enabling component that makes other technology breakthroughs possible. Higher performance FSOC links are a perfect example and it’s exciting to be working with such prestigious organisations as ESA and Airbus Defence and Space.”

Ludovic Blarre, leading Airbus Space Systems optical communication roadmap said, “The availability of APD products at 1550 nm for optical communication with sensitivities close to those of fibered low noise optical amplifiers could be a game changer for the development of cost-effective laser terminals and optical ground stations. This will be an enabler for the rapid development of optical communication in satellites for direct-to-earth applications and inter-satellite links with data rates below 10Gbps. Our team is delighted to work with Phlux Technology and the University of Sheffield towards this goal and to carry out irradiation tests on their patented APD technology.”

Professor Chee Hing Tan from the University of Sheffield commented, “This is a very challenging and exciting project that will provide opportunities for our team to extend our patented technology to an exciting new application in FSOC. Working with ESA we hope to provide a disruptive technology that will accelerate the adoption of satellite to ground FSOC.”

As demand for bandwidth grows beyond the capabilities of radio frequency systems, the FSOC market is expected to reach $4.8 billion by 2031 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 31.3%, according to analyst, Allied Market Research.

The first phase of the project runs until the end of September 2025.

Graphene nanotubes, a new generation anti-static agent, create a 3D conductive reinforcing network within the material, starting at ultralow concentrations of just 0.04 wt.%. Thanks to this minimal concentration, nanotubes preserve an up to 80% product transparency and maintain a haze value of less than 6%. This results from the unique morphology of graphene nanotubes. With an extremely high length-to-diameter ratio and a large surface area, coupled with excellent conductive and thermal properties and high strength, graphene nanotubes guarantee stable, permanent electrical resistivity of 10^4–10^9Ω/sq within the material. This enables an anti-dust effect and touch-screen compatibility of the film.

Vilson Jiang, Sales Manager for Coatings and Composites at OCSiAl China, elaborates: “Transparent conductive films manufactured with graphene nanotubes can even be applied without a primer, simplifying the production process and increasing the cost efficiency of the final product.”

Beyond film coatings, graphene nanotubes are widely applied in other types of polymer coatings, such as ESD flooring, conductive primers, anti-static powder coatings, tank lining coatings, etc. Currently, graphene nanotube solutions for coatings are being produced in Europe and Asia by OCSiAl and its OEM partners.

Satellite communications players are often faced with the fact that higher-performance technologies come into use only once their functionality has also been proven in space. This delays progress and limits the satellite industry’s innovation potential. To remove these obstacles, Fraunhofer IIS has opened the FOBP, a laboratory in space equipped with a special feature: the satellite’s payload can be controlled from Earth at any time, even at an altitude of 36,000 kilometers, and reprogrammed for different use cases. “You can think of it like a smartphone that installs updates to meet new demands,” says Rainer Wansch, Head of the RF and SatCom Systems department.

The opportunities for the industry to use the experimental platform are just as diverse as satellite communications themselves. Their smooth operation depends on disparate elements coming together to form a seamless transmission chain. Such elements include the components installed in a satellite as well as the modems and antennas that enable communication from the ground. For these individual elements to work together in an optimum fashion, research is underway into various concepts that aim to manage capacity as efficiently as possible.

Help in the event of a disaster

Fraunhofer IIS is also conducting its own experiments to find out exactly how more powerful satellite communications could help improve the exchange of information on Earth in the future. One of the projects is an outcome of the disastrous flooding in Germany’s Ahr Valley two years ago. Water damage to the infrastructure there was so severe that it knocked out mobile communications for days. The aim now is to investigate how the FOBP’s flexibility can help provide rescue services with secure and stable direct access to the satellite. “This would guarantee communication in the event of a disaster, even independently of mobile communications and their commercial providers,” Wansch says.

This example illustrates how satellites are playing an increasingly important role in ground communications. In the new generation of mobile communications, these objects are now being systematically integrated into the 5G network. The aim is to create non-terrestrial networks in which terrestrial and satellite-based data traffic merge to form hybrid networks. These are intended to ensure that mobile communications reach even remote regions. How 5G can be connected via satellite is also being researched in an experiment with the FOBP.

Space simulation in Erlangen

Research institutes and companies can use the space laboratory in close cooperation with Fraunhofer IIS. The communications experiments are supported by the institute’s test infrastructure in Erlangen, which includes a ground station with a multiband satellite antenna that can monitor and control the FOBP. Fraunhofer IIS also has a thermal vacuum chamber in Erlangen, where technologies can be prepared for real use under simulated space conditions in an identical FOBP model.

The Heinrich Hertz Mission and its partners

The Heinrich Hertz mission marks the first launch of a dedicated German communications satellite for researching and testing new technologies and communications scenarios. The mission will thus make an important contribution to Germany’s information society. The Heinrich Hertz mission is being led by the German Space Agency at the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) in Bonn on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz; BMWK) and with the participation of the Federal Ministry of Defence (Bundesministerium der Verteidigung; BMVg). OHB-System AG was contracted to develop and build the satellite. The companies IABG GmbH, MDA AG and TESAT GmbH & Co. KG are also involved in the development and testing of the satellite. OHB Digital Connect is responsible for the ground segment in collaboration with CGI. The satellite control centre is located in Bonn. The locations for the mission’s new ground stations are in Hürth (North Rhine-Westphalia) and Neustrelitz (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania). Arianespace is responsible for launching the mission on board an Ariane 5 launch vehicle (VA261). A total of 42 partners are involved in the mission, of which 14 are involved in the scientific payload.

[image courtesy of NASA]

The key to unlocking the potential of quantum computing for HPC and other fast-growing applications lies in the availability of control electronics capable of operating at cryogenic temperatures. Using advanced analog/mixed-signal IC design technology from Siemens, Semiwise has developed cryogenic CMOS circuit designs featuring cryogenic SPICE models as well as SPICE simulator technology that can perform accurate analyses at cryogenic temperatures.

Semiwise is providing this intellectual property (IP), developed using Siemens’ Analog FastSPICE (AFS), to sureCore for the development of sureCore’s revolutionary line of CryoIP, which aims to enable the design of CryoCMOS control chips seen as crucial for unlocking the commercial potential for quantum computing.

In the development of its CryoIP product line, sureCore also used Siemens’s Analog FastSPICE platform and Siemens’ Solido Design Environment software, both of which demonstrated reliable and accurate operation at cryogenic temperatures, empowering sureCore to construct analog circuits, standard cell libraries, and memory designs including SRAM, register files, and ROM, using Semiwise’s cryogenic transistor models. Further, Siemens’ Analog FastSPICE software showcased exceptional capabilities in handling foundry device models at cryogenic conditions, helping deliver efficient analog, mixed-signal, and digital circuit design and verification functionality without convergence issues. The result is a high level of accuracy and performance, setting the stage for potentially groundbreaking advancements in quantum computing.

Professor Asen Asenov, CEO of Semiwise and director for sureCore, highlighted the significance of this achievement: “For the first time, through cryogenic transistor measurements and Technology Computer-Aided Design (TCAD) analyses conducted with Siemens’ EDA technologies, we have developed process design kit (PDK)-quality compact transistor models, including corners and mismatch, enabling the production-worthy design of cryogenic CMOS circuits.”

sureCore is rapidly progressing towards its first CryoIP tapeout, leveraging GlobalFoundries’ 22FDX PDK.

Paul Wells, CEO of sureCore, underscored the pivotal role of this partnership. “The critical storage element and the bit cell must essentially be treated as an analogue circuit that is highly sensitive to process variability and mismatch,” said Wells. “When we develop new memory designs and their associated compilers, we need to run thousands of statistical circuit simulations to guarantee the yield and reliability of our IP. Our partnership with Siemens EDA has enabled us to leverage Siemens’ Custom IC verification technology to build robust cryogenic IP cores, specifically tailored for Quantum applications.”

Whilst much of the 5G infrastructure is a moderate upgrade on existing 4G technology, there is still plenty of scope for higher frequency deployment such as mmWave devices and small cells. Each of these new developments presents its own technological evolution and thermal challenges.

mmWave 5G: Densification of electronics leads to thermal challenges
5G can be categorised into several frequency bands with several of them being repurposed at the existing lower frequencies and some of the new bands reaching 6GHz; see Figure 1. This is where most of the deployment has occurred so far. But, when industry pundits tout 5G’s the huge potential download rates and minimal latency times, they are usually referring to mmWave (> 20GHz). Here, there is still space for significant technological innovation and new applications.

Figure 1: 5G deployment consists of two new bands and existing low frequency bands

 Given antenna spacing is equal to half the signal’s wavelength, higher frequency means the antenna can be a lot more compact, with thousands of elements combined into a package a fraction of the size of previous antennas. This however leads to a densification of IC distribution, especially as the ICs sitting directly on the back of the antenna board. In turn this leads to greater heat dissipation and thermal management problems.

IDTechEx research has found that whilst most thermal interface materials (TIMs) used today are below 4W/mK thermal conductivity, the demands of future 5G devices could push this value into the 5-10W/mK range.

More antennas are required
Another key challenge with higher-frequency telecommunication infrastructure is signal propagation. As frequency increases, the signal is more easily attenuated, with broadcast range significantly reduced and the signal easily blocked by walls and windows. One solution to this problem is to use beamforming to directly “target” user devices, allowing greater signal control.
However, this only goes so far. To reach a satisfactory coverage over significant areas, many more of these antennas are required. IDTechEx is predicting a 41-fold increase in the yearly deployments of mmWave antenna by 2032 compared to 2022; see Figure 2. This is not as much of a problem as it appears at first, because, as mentioned earlier, the antennas are very small, allowing their wider use, more easily and in more integrated formats (say, on lampposts), compared to any other previous infrastructure.

Thanks to the requirement for more mmWave antennas, the markets for thermal materials within them are expected to see a five-fold growth in the next five years alone.

Figure 2: mmWave antenna present the greatest TIM market by 2032 

Latest report on thermal management
IDTechEx’s latest report on  “Thermal Management for 5G” addresses the trends in 5G deployment and how this impacts antenna design, choice of semiconductor technology, die attach materials and thermal interface materials. Both technological aspects and market forecasts are included for the next ten years. Additionally, the report considers many smartphones and how the incorporation of 5G is impacting thermal materials – interface and heat spreaders.

By Dr James Edmondson, Senior Technology Analyst, IDTechEx

It is expected that the market for SWIR sensing will explode in just five years, to about $2.9bn from $322m in 2022 – largely thanks to advances in infrared quantum dot (QD) technology. QDs are nanoscale semiconductors that absorb and emit light across the near-infrared (NIR) and SWIR spectrum. Commonly based on lead sulphide (PbS), they are fabricated with simple benchtop wet chemistry, allowing their large-scale production.

SWIR sensing alternatives

After years of intensive research, now QD technology is ready for commercial use in high-performance SWIR sensing.

QDs are a very exciting new technology for the industry because of the lack of alternatives suitable for widespread adoption. In terms of sensing capability, most other options on the market are missing certain critical functionalities or face other barriers for their use in consumer applications.

Silicon-germanium (SiGe) sensors are cheap but difficult to fabricate. Inherently they are low noise, easily meeting the signal-to-noise ratio required for most SWIR sensing and imaging applications. But, these sensors suffer from limited light detection ranges, peaking at around 1.4µm, which precludes them from being used in many SWIR applications.

In contrast, indium-gallium-arsenide (InGaAs) sensors operate within the SWIR region of 0.9-1.7µm, with high quantum efficiency, reliability, low dark current and fast response speed. Extended InGaAs sensors with higher indium arsenide composition can even detect wavelengths to 2.6µm.

The InGaAs technology is much more mature than SiGe, and is already used in machine-vision applications, defence and security. However, its primary downside is cost: Individual InGaAs units can cost up to $10,000, due in part to the high defect rates during their manufacture.

Creating an InGaAs sensor starts with epitaxially growing the material onto indium phosphide (InP) wafers. These wafers are then diced into chips, before pixels are indium-bonded with silicon readout circuits, through a process known as “flip-chip hybridisation”. This process leads to limited pixel pitch and resolution, as well as being complex and expensive to run. The result is a low-yield product that is highly susceptible to defect formation and is difficult to scale to larger wafer sizes because of the InP fragility. These systems also require significant cooling to achieve the desired image quality, which further increases the size of an already bulky product. All these problems make InGaAs sensors suited only for niche markets, where performance matters above cost and size.

If SWIR imaging and sensing are to become widespread in consumer electronics, engineers must look elsewhere for the solution.

QDs

QDs are already commonly used for display purposes since they can be tuned to emit visible light. However, their ability to be tuned to SWIR wavelengths is disrupting the industry by improving the quality and quantity of infrared data that can be accessed by all type devices.

During PbS QD formulation, directly controlling the size of the material enables the semiconductor band gap to be precisely tuned, with larger QDs sensitive to longer wavelengths of light, and smaller nanoparticles sensitive to shorter, higher-energy wavelengths – from 800nm to 2,400nm.

For optoelectronic applications, in addition to broadband tunability, QDs with a higher excitonic absorption peak and narrower full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the absorption spectrum offer superior performance. The capability to tightly control this specification is highly desirable in QD synthesis.

Quantum Science is a British expert in infrared QD technology. The company has already demonstrated industry-leading performance in this field by creating infrared PbS-based QDs that feature FWHM significantly better than market-available QDs. Using transmission electron microscopy to monitor the uniformity of shape and size distribution for QD materials shows that its INFIQ QDs are monodisperse, with diameters of 4.9 ± 0.1nm at 1,350nm and 6.0 ± 0.1nm at 1,550nm, respectively. Its QDs also feature high degree of crystallinity, meaning they experience a lower rate of defects and fewer electronic trap states, protecting them from performance degradation.

The QD ink formulation process

SWIR-sensitive QD films are typically created by exchanging the long-chain organic ligands (organic molecules that are optimised for synthetic control and colloidal stability) present on the surface. During this process, long-chain ligands are replaced with shorter, more conductive ones, making the resulting QDs suitable for use in optoelectronic devices.

By conducting the ligand exchange in solution, stable colloidal QD inks can be created. These inks overcome long-existing and key manufacturing challenges of QD sensor production where multi-steps spin coating methods are used.

The spin coating process sees up to 14 thin layers of QDs deposited sequentially, with chemical treatments applied to each layer and washing steps to replace the insulating ligands. This process very resource greedy, and the multi-layer deposition leads to high risks of defects occurring, with the end result being low-yield, higher-cost QDs and manufacturing.

In contrast, QD inks allow to deposit QD coatings in a single step, removing the need for further chemical processes and minimising defect occurrence. Additionally, it is significantly shorter and less labour intensive, enabling the mass production of high-performance optoelectronic devices and bringing SWIR sensing closer to market.

Applications

Infrared PbS QD technology has proven benefits for photodetection, photovoltaics and infrared light emitters. With reported photon conversion efficiencies of over 80% and granting outstanding SWIR sensitivity, infrared light from the sun is converted into energy, making these semiconductor materials revolutionising for most electronics-based systems. For product-sorting applications, QD-equipped SWIR sensors can detect specific spectral signatures, enabling them to monitor container fill levels or check for hidden spoilage, without causing unnecessary damage.

With SWIR light capable of peering deeper into tissue than any other wavelength, SWIR sensors can benefit medicine by detecting subdermal conditions even earlier.

In defence and security, QD-based scanning systems can better operate in all weather conditions because SWIR light is not scattered by dust or fog. For similar reasons, QD sensors can enhance vehicle Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) systems, increasing their effective range to 500m.

What’s more, with high-performance, lead-free QDs rapidly approaching market readiness, we will soon find SWIR-sensitive QDs in everyday consumer devices, dramatically improving the technologies we use every day.

As QD technology develops further, and as more electronics manufacturers learn of their benefits, this list of applications will grow, bringing the quantum revolution a lot closer.

By Dr Hao Pang, CEO and Founder, Quantum Science