Imec, the Belgium-based semiconductor research hub, has unveiled a new method for producing compact and comparatively low-cost short-wave infrared sensors, a development it says could widen the use of the technology across sectors from security to agriculture and automotive.
Presenting at the IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting in San Francisco this week, the organisation announced that it had integrated colloidal quantum dot photodiodes with metasurfaces on standard 300 mm CMOS wafers. The approach, it said, allows for high-resolution multispectral SWIR sensors to be manufactured at scale using mainstream semiconductor processes.
SWIR imaging, which captures wavelengths beyond the visible spectrum, can reveal features obscured by haze, smoke, plastics, or fabrics. The technology is widely used in defence and industrial settings, but conventional sensors rely on materials and architectures that remain expensive and difficult to produce.
Quantum dot sensors, which use nanoscale semiconductors that can be tuned to absorb specific infrared wavelengths, have emerged as a cheaper, higher-resolution alternative. Yet they have largely operated in broadband mode, offering limited spectral information.
Imec’s research aims to change this by combining quantum dot photodiodes with CMOS-fabricated metasurfaces — ultra-thin, nano-patterned layers that precisely control the interaction of light with the sensor. The organisation said this allows spectral tuning to take place at the wafer level rather than through repeated redesign of photodiode layers.
“What sets this technology apart is its scalability,” said Vladimir Pejovic, R&D Project Lead at Imec. “By shifting the complexity to the CMOS layer, we can tailor spectral response without rebuilding the photodiode for each wavelength. This opens the door to easily customisable, high-resolution SWIR sensors.”
The breakthrough brings together Imec’s work in quantum dot imaging, flat optics, and spectral sensing. The next step, the organisation said, is to move from a laboratory demonstration to low-volume production, followed by full-scale manufacturing.
Pawel Malinowski, Imec Portfolio Manager, said the group is seeking partners to co-develop custom sensors and to demonstrate the technology in real-world applications. “Our ambition is to turn this into an industry-ready platform,” he said. “We welcome collaboration to help shape the future of sensing and imaging.”
Imec, which employs more than 6,500 people worldwide, reported revenues of €1.034 billion in 2024. The group works with companies and research institutes across the semiconductor supply chain, with facilities in Europe and the USA.
