FlexNIR-PD: A resource efficient UK-based production process for patented flexible Near Infrared Sensors for LIDAR, Facial recognition and high-speed data retrieval

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Near-infrared (NIR) sensors are commonly manufactured using III-V semiconductors, are expensive to produce, incompatible with standard CMOS fabrication and predominantly manufactured in the far east. This limits their usefulness and relegates them to low-volume markets.LoMaRe's patented invention detects NIR light in Si/CMOS-compatible materials with no rare earth components and production steps and can also be used on flexible substrates. This would allow this new type of sensor not only to be the cheapest on the market but also to be produced in the UK, building world-class domestic production, improving supply chain resilience, and lowering emissions.The new sensor also has high photon current efficiency in NIR, with very low response time, making it ideal for LIDAR, facial recognition, and high-speed data retrieval in fibre-optic cables, whilst allowing for much reduced fabrication cost and overall higher throughput in terms of manufacturability.LoMaRe's partnership with CPI develops the prototype into a commercial version that could revolutionise sensor manufacturing in the UK and transform several domestic and global industries.