M. B. Ushakova
ORION Research-and-Production Association, Moscow, Russia
Development and production of the state-of-the-art thermal imaging devices (TID) in leading foreign countries are analyzed. TID of the first, second and third generation for mid wave and long wave infrared ranges are discussed: based on focal plane arrays (FPA) of cadmium—mercury—telluride (CMT) including SPRITE photodetectors and FPA operating in the time delay and integration (TDI) mode; based on indium antimonide, lead selenide, platinum silicide; based on microbolometric and pyroelectric (ferroelectric) FPA and based on quantum well infrared photodetectors (QWIP). Trends concerning the perspective deve-lopment of new generation thermal imaging devices are also discussed.