A new infrared sensor delivers over one megapixel resolution with dual-band detection, enabling highly precise thermal imaging for defence, disaster monitoring, and advanced sensing applications in complex environments.
Fujitsu has developed a high-sensitivity, high-resolution infrared sensor that could significantly enhance monitoring capabilities across defence and disaster management applications.
The newly announced sensor features over 1 megapixel resolution and introduces dual-band detection, capturing mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR) and long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) signals simultaneously. This combination enables more accurate identification of objects and thermal patterns, even in complex or low-visibility environments.
At its core is a Type-II superlattice (T2SL) structure, a semiconductor design that allows precise control over material properties at the nanoscale. This architecture improves sensitivity while enabling multi-wavelength detection within a single pixel, an industry-first at this resolution level.
The sensor can detect temperature differences as small as 0.05°C, allowing it to capture subtle thermal variations that conventional systems often miss. This level of precision is critical for applications such as identifying human presence, tracking object movement, or detecting early signs of natural disasters, such as forest fires and volcanic activity.
Unlike traditional single-band infrared sensors, the dual-band approach reduces background noise interference, improving detection accuracy over long distances and across wider areas. This makes it particularly suitable for deployment in satellite and airborne monitoring systems.
The technology was developed under a contract with Japan’s defence agency, aimed at advancing long-range detection and surveillance capabilities. With prototype delivery completed, Fujitsu plans to commercialise the sensor starting fiscal year 2026, targeting integration into monitoring cameras and advanced sensing platforms.
Beyond defence, the sensor has broader implications. Its ability to visualize thermal changes over time with high precision could support infrastructure inspection, environmental monitoring, and scientific research.
As sensing systems evolve toward higher resolution and multi-spectral capabilities, Fujitsu’s breakthrough positions infrared imaging for a new phase where accuracy, sensitivity, and real-time analysis converge to expand the ways machines perceive the physical world.
