Infrared chips that can see through darkness, fog, and smoke are typically reserved for military systems and high-end research due to their cost.
Now, a Chinese research team says it has found a way to make them far more affordable, potentially opening doors to wider use in everyday technologies.
These sensors, which detect light invisible to the human eye, help machines “see” in low visibility. That means safer self-driving systems in bad weather, better factory inspection tools, and improved smartphone cameras in dim conditions.
Xidian University said its new manufacturing approach could dramatically lower costs, with mass production expected by the end of 2026.
A shift in how these chips are made
Xidian University said the breakthrough came from replacing expensive materials used in traditional infrared chips with a silicon-germanium approach compatible with standard semiconductor manufacturing.
In its official release, the university noted the new method could reduce costs to “one-hundredth to one-tenth” of current designs. Put another way, something costing 100 today could drop between 1 and 10, a reduction of roughly 90% to 99%.
According to the South China Morning Post, the researcher said the approach could achieve a “theoretical cost reduction of up to 99%” compared with existing infrared chips, potentially lowering prices to just a few dozen US dollars.
The lower cost comes from using silicon-germanium materials alongside CMOS processes commonly used in mainstream semiconductor manufacturing. Traditional infrared chips rely on indium gallium arsenide, which is more expensive and harder to integrate into production.
“This means we can use the same methods and cost base as manufacturing mobile phone chips to manufacture the previously exorbitantly priced short-wave infrared detectors,” explained Wang Liming, a core team member.
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What it could mean for the industry
Lower-cost infrared sensing could expand beyond military and research settings into commercial and consumer markets.
The SCMP emphasized that the technology allows cameras and sensors to see through fog, haze, and smoke and to capture images in near-total darkness. That opens up several potential applications:
- Safer navigation for autonomous vehicles in poor visibility
- More accurate industrial inspection through packaging
- Improved low-light performance in consumer devices
Xidian University mentioned it has built a full development chain, covering materials, chip design, and imaging systems. The university is also preparing a dedicated silicon-germanium production line scheduled to begin operation by the end of 2026, which could help bring the technology into wider use.
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