Multispectral and polarimetric imaging in the LWIR: Intersubband detectors as a versatile solution

GaAs-based intersubband infrared detectors, such as Quantum Well Infrared Photodetectors and Quantum Cascade Detectors have proven their ability to address not only conventional thermal imaging applications, but also advanced functionalities such as multispectral and polarimetric imaging. This paper illustrates this potential through the results achieved at III–V Lab in the frame of several ambitious projects, ranging from military applications to Earth observation and exo-planet detection. The advantages of these technologies at the system level are evidenced.