Sofradir takes on Sagem and Thales IR technologies

Sofradir has signed an agreement with Thales and Sagem to acquire the companies’ infrared (IR) detector technology development and manufacturing facilities. Sofradir, a joint subsidiary to Thales and Sagem, will take on IR technologies originally developed for the parent companies’ internal purposes.

Under the agreement, Sagem will transfer to Sofradir the Indium Antimonide (InSb) technology. 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 Alcatel Lucent, Thales and research institute CEA (the French nuclear energy and alternate energies commission).

By consolidating these IR technologies in one company, Sofradir joins a very small circle of IR detector manufacturers with expertise in all the cooled and uncooled IR technologies. IR detectors are advanced technology components that are vital to multiple military, space, commercial and scientific applications: thermal imagers, missile seekers, surveillance systems, targeting systems or observation satellites.

Thales and Sagem spokespeople praised the agreement that strengthens a key technopole and further enhances years of research initially carried out by Thales and then by the III-V Lab and Sagem.

Philippe Bensussan, chairman and CEO of Sofradir, said: ‘The technologies from Sagem and the III-V Lab enable Sofradir to have from this point forward the complete portfolio of infrared technologies. These assets consolidate Sofradir’s leadership position. With the new technologies, Sofradir along with its subsidiary ULIS will be able to select the technology best adapted to our clients’ applications. We are in a fortified position to offer IR products with more innovation, performance and compactness in order to respond to any IR market need.’