Parachutists will see sooner and better: night vision thanks to nanotechnology

A new technology in the field of infrared sensors could radically revolutionise the night vision of parachutists. It is a breakthrough that drastically reduces reliance on rare Chinese materials and removes the need for bulky cooling systems.

Traditionally, thermal night vision sensors require cryogenic cooling equipment to function properly. The most common technology uses mercury-cadmium telluride detectors, which must be kept at around -196 °C. This results in high power consumption, weights and volumes incompatible with the compact equipment used by advanced military departments, drones, satellites or even civil autonomous vehicles.

However, needs in this area are constantly growing. US air and ground forces, as well as special operations units, are looking for devices that are lighter, autonomous and less constrained by complex logistics. The same applies to the emerging autonomous vehicle industry, which needs reliable thermal sensors even in unfavourable weather conditions.

In response to these needs, an international team led by Professor Jeehwan Kim of MIT developed an innovative process called "atomic lift-off"(ALO), published in the magazine Nature. Grazie a questa tecnica, è stato possibile ottenere strati sottilissimi di materiale cristallino indipendenti, senza bisogno di supporti come il grafene. Il risultato è un “film” inferiore ai 10 nanometri di spessore, estremamente sensibile al calore.

PMN-PT: the new material that beats the cold

The heart of this innovation is the material used: the PMN-PTa crystalline compound with exceptional electromechanical properties. This material is capable of detecting thermal variations with up to 100 times greater sensitivity than commonly used materials such as lithium tantalate.

But the revolutionary aspect is that it works at room temperature. Expensive and heavy cooling systems are no longer needed. The sensors in PMN-PT cover the entire far-infrared spectrum, which allows a wider and more detailed view than to current night vision systems. This is particularly useful in complex environments or in unfavourable weather conditions (fog, rain, smoke), where conventional sensors and optical cameras can fail.

The team produced membranes 10 mm wide and just 10 nanometres thick, keeping the crystalline quality intact. Thicker versions (80 nm) were also produced to facilitate processing to scale: from 108 sensors made, all performed correctly. The thinner sensors, although more difficult to handle, still showed comparable performance.

In addition to extraordinary precision, the sensors retain their electrical properties even after being transferred to different surfaces. In tests conducted, the devices demonstrated a stability over time comparable to the best cooled sensors currently in use.

This technology not only promises high performance, but also simplified production. In fact, the ALO method allows the production of large-scale sensors with minimal thicknesses and reduced costs.

Reducing dependence on China and innovating in defence

Besides the technical benefits, this discovery has significant strategic implications. Currently, China is a major global exporter of materials essential for thermal imaging, such as germanium and chalcogenides, as well as providing a significant share of thermal imaging equipment.

The ability to produce effective sensors without resorting to these resources greatly reduces the industrial and strategic vulnerability of the US, especially in scenarios of tension or trade conflict with Beijing. In an unstable geopolitical context, autonomy in the production of critical technologies becomes a key asset.

Il progetto ha ricevuto fondi dall’Air Force Office of Scientific Research and from the United States Department of EnergyThis demonstrates the strong federal interest in the development of independent, scalable and more secure solutions for military and civil applications.

In fact, this technology could be used in a wide range of sectors: from defence, to public safety, to the autonomous car industry. Ultralight and highly sensitive sensors could be integrated into paratroopers' helmets, reconnaissance drones or autonomous vehicles, drastically improving environmental perception and real-time decision-making capability.

This innovation is not only a breakthrough in materials science, but a real paradigm shift for the night vision industry. It represents a concrete demonstration of how multidisciplinary research - involving institutions such as MIT, Seoul National University and others - can produce frontier technologies with an immediate impact on the operational field.

Source: https://www.defenseone.com/technology/2025/04/nano-material-breakthrough-could-revolutionize-night-vision/404758/