Sofradir acquires infrared detector technology facilities from Sagem and Thales

PARIS, France, 07 Dec. 2012. Sagem, a company in the Safran group, Thales, and Sofradir have signed an agreement for Sofradir to acquire Sagem and Thales' infrared (IR) detector technology development and manufacturing facilities.

IR detectors are at the center of multiple military, space, commercial and scientific applications, such as thermal imagers, missile seekers, surveillance systems, targeting systems, and observation satellites. Their performance and price are important for the competitiveness of electro-optic systems.

Under the agreement, Sagem will transfer Indium Antimonide (InSb) technology to Sofradir. The Quantum Well-Infrared Photodetector (QWIP) and Indium Gallium Arsenide (InGaAs) technologies will be transferred to Sofradir from the GIE III-V Lab, an economic interest group with partners in Alcatel Lucent, Thales, and research institute CEA, the French nuclear energy and alternate energies commission.

By consolidating these IR technologies under one roof, Sofradir hopes to expand its expertise in all cooled and uncooled IR technologies. Sofradir is ranked first for volume deliveries of IR detectors based on its Mercury Cadmium Telluride (HgCdTe) technology.