Hello readers,

As a former researcher, nothing excited me more than diving into a topic that had the potential to be both impactful and disruptive. During my academic journey, I had the privilege of working at the intersection of chemistry, physics, and engineering, specifically in the area of hybrid semiconductor systems for infrared applications.

Even though I am now outside the lab, l am still deeply fascinated by the possibilities of this field. I want to bring you along as we explore one of the most quietly transformative technologies of our time: infrared (IR) sensing.

In this issue, we’re taking a look at what infrared technology actually is, where the market is heading, and why the materials behind these sensors are the key to unlocking widespread innovation. Let’s dive in.

🔍 The Background: Why Infrared Technologies Matter

Infrared (IR) technology is all about detecting light that’s invisible to the human eye. This is what we typically perceive as heat. It sits just beyond the visible spectrum, and although we can’t see it, we constantly emit it.

From night vision goggles to medical imaging and climate monitoring, infrared sensing plays a quiet but critical role in our lives. It’s used in:

• Healthcare, to detect inflammation or fever

• Security, through night-vision and surveillance

• Environmental monitoring, for detecting gas leaks, crop health, or even wildfires

• Consumer electronics, including Face ID, smartwatches, and gesture-based controls

In essence, IR technology gives us a new lens to interact with the world — one that sees energy, motion, and change in a completely different way.

💰 The Market Is Heating Up (Literally)

The numbers paint a compelling picture:

• The global infrared sensor market was valued at $711 million in 2023 and is expected to more than double to around $1.5 billion by 2030, with a CAGR of 12.2%.

• The broader infrared imaging market stood at $7.4 billion in 2024, and is forecast to reach $12 billion by 2033.

What’s behind this explosive growth?

One key factor is the integration of IR sensors into consumer electronics like smartphones and wearables. These devices now rely on infrared for things like facial recognition, proximity detection, and even health tracking.

At the same time, the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT), which involves billions of connected devices, is pushing the demand for IR sensors even further. These sensors help with process control, motion detection, and energy efficiency in everything from smart homes to industrial automation.

🧪 Materials Matter: The Big Question

With all this growth ahead, the big question I keep asking myself is:
Are the current materials used in IR sensors ready to meet demand?

Here’s what I’ve been thinking:

1. Traditional IR materials can’t scale fast enough

Conventional IR sensors — like InGaAs (Indium Gallium Arsenide) and HgCdTe (Mercury Cadmium Telluride) — are incredibly powerful and sensitive. They’re well suited for high-stakes environments like military systems, space telescopes, and scientific instruments.

But when it comes to everyday applications — such as consumer electronics or industrial monitoring — these materials fall short for a few reasons:

• Too expensive

• Challenging to fabricate at scale

• Require cooling or complex packaging

So while they’ll remain important for defence and space, they aren’t ideal for a world where every device, such as your phone or thermostat, might need an IR sensor.

2. Emerging materials could change the game

This is where things get exciting.

Quantum dots and perovskites are two types of emerging semiconductor materials, and they offer a very different set of advantages:

• They’re cheaper to process

• Can potentially be printed at scale

• Tuneable to specific wavelengths by tweaking the chemistry

These properties make them strong candidates for consumer electronics, medical diagnostics, and even environmental monitoring.

Of course, these new materials aren’t perfect:

• Many still suffer from stability issues

• Long-term reliability remains a major research focus

• Most are not yet commercialized at scale

But given the level of research and funding now being poured into them, I believe their performance will significantly improve in the coming years.

3. It’s a goldmine for innovation and investment

For those looking to invest in science-driven technologies, this space is incredibly promising.

IR sensors, particularly those made from new materials, have clear social impact due to their unique set of advantages. We are likely to see impact in areas like:

• Healthcare: non-invasive monitoring, early disease detection

• Climate tech: emissions tracking, smart agriculture

• Mobility and safety: helping EVs “see” at night or through fog

We could also see applications in wearable health tech, low-cost medical diagnostics in remote regions, and even autonomous farming equipment using IR to detect soil or crop stress.

These ideas aren't just speculative! They are areas where prototypes and early products already exist!

4. The EV Boom Is Also Fueling IR Growth

Another underappreciated driver is the rapid rise of electric vehicles (EVs).

As EVs grow globally, there’s increasing demand for:

• Battery thermal management

• Passenger monitoring systems

• Night-time driving safety through thermal cameras

Each of these applications could benefit from cost-effective, scalable IR solutions, and that ties right back to the materials we use.

🔭 Final Thoughts

Infrared technology is already making an impact, but what’s coming next will be even more transformative.

And at the centre of it all are the materials: what they’re made from, how they’re processed, and whether they can be scaled affordably. That’s why I’ll be watching this space closely, and sharing more insights with you.

Thanks for reading. If you’re enjoying this newsletter, I’d love for you to forward it to a friend or colleague interested in the future of science and tech.

Until the next time,
Qasim Ibraheeme