China Cuts Cost Of Military-Grade Infrared Chips To As Little As A Few Dozen USD

Researchers in China have developed a new approach to manufacturing short-wave infrared (SWIR) chips that could significantly reduce costs while maintaining high performance. The breakthrough could expand the use of infrared imaging beyond military and scientific applications into consumer and industrial technologies.

The work was led by a team at Xidian University, which reported that the chips can be produced using standard semiconductor manufacturing processes rather than specialized materials. This shift could reduce production costs by up to 99 percent, bringing the price of individual chips down to as little as a few dozen US dollars, according to South China Morning Post.

SWIR sensors detect wavelengths of light that are invisible to the human eye but can penetrate environmental obstacles such as fog, haze, and smoke. These capabilities make them valuable for applications including autonomous vehicles, industrial inspection systems, and robotics operating in low-visibility conditions. Until now, their use has been largely restricted to military systems, satellite imaging, and advanced scientific equipment due to high costs.

Traditional SWIR chips rely on indium gallium arsenide, a material that is expensive and difficult to integrate with widely used chip manufacturing techniques. The Chinese research team instead used silicon-germanium combined with complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor processes, which are standard in the semiconductor industry. This approach allows the chips to be manufactured using existing fabrication infrastructure.

One of the main technical challenges involved differences in atomic structure between silicon and germanium, which can introduce defects and reduce performance. The researchers addressed this by introducing buffer layers to stabilize the material and applying heat and chemical treatments to improve electrical efficiency and reduce leakage.

According to the research team, the resulting chips achieve performance levels comparable to those produced by established industry players such as Sony and TSMC. The development suggests that lower-cost alternatives may soon match the capabilities of existing high-end solutions.

The team has also established an integrated development and production pipeline, supported by its own semiconductor venture and facilities. A dedicated silicon-germanium production line is currently under construction and is expected to begin operations by the end of the year.

If scaled successfully, the technology could enable broader adoption of SWIR imaging in consumer devices such as smartphones, as well as in autonomous systems and industrial automation. The reduction in cost may also accelerate innovation in areas where infrared sensing has previously been limited by expense.

The development reflects ongoing efforts to make advanced sensing technologies more accessible by aligning them with established semiconductor manufacturing methods.