InfraRed Associates

Name

InfraRed Associates

Legal name

InfraRed Associates, Inc.

Website

https://irassociates.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Infrared Detectors and Photonics Components

NAICS

Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (33451)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)

akta.pro primary industry

Photodiodes & Discrete Photodetectors (HDAHAHAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Optical & Light Sensors (Photodiodes/ALS/Color/UV) (HDAHALAE), Optoelectronic Components (LEDs, photodiodes, optocouplers, optical sensors) (IMAGAJAF)

Keywords

• Infrared detectors
• HgCdTe detectors
• InSb detectors
• Photon detection
• Infrared sensors

Headquarters

HQ city

Stuart

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Infrared Detector Sales: Sale of standard and custom HgCdTe and InSb infrared detectors, pre-amplifiers, Stirling coolers, and accessories to OEM customers in defense, analytical, medical, environmental, and industrial sectors

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

InfraRed Associates designs, develops, manufactures, and sells Mercury Cadmium Telluride (HgCdTe/MCT) and Indium Antimonide (InSb) infrared detectors covering the 1 to 25 micron wavelength range, available with LN2, Thermoelectric, and Stirling cycle cooling options. The company also manufactures multi-element photoconductive arrays up to 128 elements, two-color detectors, pre-amplifiers (MCT-1000, INSB-1000), and supporting accessories such as temperature controllers, power supplies, heat sinks, and dewar valve operators. Products are sold directly to OEM customers for defense, analytical, medical, environmental, and industrial applications.

Product overview

InfraRed Associates is a specialized manufacturer of high-quality HgCdTe (Mercury Cadmium Telluride) and InSb (Indium Antimonide) infrared detectors with a legacy dating back to 1976. The company offers a comprehensive product portfolio spanning single-element detectors (HgCdTe MCT Detectors, InSb Detectors), multi-element arrays (up to 128 elements), and various cooling options (Liquid Nitrogen, Stirling closed cycle, and Thermoelectric coolers). Supporting products include pre-amplifiers (MCT-1000, INSB-1000), temperature controllers, power supplies, heat sinks, and standard packaging solutions. The company was acquired by VIGO Photonics in March 2026.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• HgCdTe (MCT) Photoconductive Detectors Photoconductive Mercury Cadmium Telluride infrared detectors available in LN2 cooled and TE cooled variants, with wavelength response tunable by adjusting the ternary alloy composition. Used in medical thermography, analytical instruments, research, and pollution monitoring applications by OEM customers.
• InSb Photovoltaic Detectors Photovoltaic Indium Antimonide detectors using p-n junctions formed by mesa techniques on single-crystal material, operating in the 1 to 5.5 micron wavelength region with BLIP (background limited) performance. Used in spectroscopy and radiometry applications.
• TE Cooled MCT Detectors Thermoelectrically cooled HgCdTe detectors available in 2-stage, 3-stage, and 4-stage configurations in TO-style packages with calibrated thermistors for temperature monitoring and control. Standard variants optimized for 2 to 5 micron wavelength, extended range beyond 5 microns, and optically enhanced versions. Applications include thermal imaging, laser detection, gas analysis, railroad hot boxes, and line scanners.
• LN2 Cooled MCT Detectors Liquid Nitrogen cooled HgCdTe detectors optimized for wavebands of 2 to 5 microns, 2 to 13 microns, and FTIR Series with wavebands up to 2 to 24 microns. Includes FTIR series designed for Fourier Transform Infrared spectrometers with highest sensitivities and cutoffs from 750 to 400 cm-1.
• InSb/HgCdTe 2-Color Detectors Two-color infrared detectors combining InSb (1 to 5.5 micron) and HgCdTe (5.5 to 12.5 micron, extendable beyond 25 micron) elements at the same focal point for simultaneous dual-band response. Applications include radiometry, thermal imaging, background discrimination, FTIR spectroscopy, and IR microscopy.
• Photoconductive MCT Arrays Multi-element photoconductive HgCdTe arrays available up to 128 elements in linear or 2x format with element separation as small as 12 microns. Cutoff wavelengths from 4 to 16 microns. Custom packaging available for TE Coolers, Closed Cycle Stirling Coolers, or LN2 Dewars. Applications include thermal imaging, laser spectroscopy, imaging FTIR spectroscopy, and gas analysis.
• Stirling Cycle Cooled Detectors Stirling Cycle Cooled Detectors offered in three design packages (K508, K561, K549) allowing operation down to 75K, eliminating the need for Liquid Nitrogen cooling. Ideal for remote or unattended operation, available in integral and split configurations.
• MCT-1000 Pre-Amplifier Preamplifier specifically designed for Photoconductive Mercury Cadmium Telluride detectors, providing low noise, high gain, and precision constant voltage bias. Electrical bandwidth from 1.5Hz to 150KHz with adjustable gain from 50 to 1000 times. No external bias or load resistors required.
• INSB-1000 Pre-Amplifier Preamplifier designed for Photovoltaic Indium Antimonide detectors with zero volt bias operation. Electrical bandwidth from 1.5Hz to 150KHz (up to 5MHz available) with adjustable gain from 5 to 100 times.
• IR Detector Accessories Complete line of accessories complementing the core detector product line, including Temperature Controllers and corresponding Power Supplies, Heat Sinks for TE Cooled devices, Dewar Valve Operators for LN2 Cooled devices, Square Base Adapters for various mounting methods, and Pre-Amp Power Supplies.
• Standard IR Detector Packaging Standard packaging options including LN2 Cooled variants (MSL-8, MDL-8 with 8-hour hold time; MSL-12, MDL-12 with 12-hour hold time; MSL-24, MDL-24 with 24-hour hold time) and TE Cooled standard packaging in TO-66 and TO-3 form factors.

Named customers2 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• VIGO PhotonicsflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 March 2026VIGO Photonics acquired InfraRed Associates' assets for USD 8.4 million. The acquisition combines InfraRed Associates' standard HgCdTe and InSb infrared detector offerings with VIGO Photonics' vertically integrated advanced mid-infrared photonic detector production capabilities, strengthening the combined entity's product portfolio and global customer reach.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Excelitas Technologies: Large diversified photonics and sensing platform offering a range of IR detectors, modules, and thermal imaging subsystems, competing with InfraRed Associates in industrial and defense OEM channels through a broader product portfolio.
• Leonardo DRS: Major U.S. defense contractor with IR detector and focal plane array capabilities serving military thermal imaging and targeting programs, providing a much larger but adjacent competitive alternative to InfraRed Associates' defense offerings.
• Teledyne FLIR (Teledyne Technologies): Global leader in thermal imaging cameras and IR detector subsystems for defense, industrial, and commercial markets, integrating detector capabilities that compete indirectly with InfraRed Associates' OEM detector sales.

Direct peers

• Hamamatsu Photonics: Global leader in photonics with a broad IR detector portfolio including InSb, InAs, and MCT devices, directly competing with InfraRed Associates in spectroscopy, thermal imaging, and analytical instrument OEM channels.
• Teledyne Judson Technologies: Long-established U.S. manufacturer of HgCdTe and InSb infrared detectors and dewars, directly overlapping InfraRed Associates' core product portfolio across photoconductive and photovoltaic IR detection and serving the same defense, analytical, and industrial OEM customers.
• Opto Diode (an ITL company): U.S. manufacturer of IR detectors, LEDs, and photodiodes serving defense, industrial, and analytical OEMs, with overlapping capabilities in custom IR sensing solutions comparable to InfraRed Associates' offerings.
• VIGO Photonics S.A. Polish manufacturer of advanced mid-IR photonic detectors, modules, and focal plane arrays, now the parent of InfraRed Associates after the March 2026 acquisition; directly overlapping in HgCdTe/InSb-based IR detection technology with vertically integrated wafer-to-module production.
• New England Photoconductor (NEP): U.S. niche manufacturer of HgCdTe and other compound semiconductor photoconductive detectors, with a similar small-scale, custom-configured OEM sales model targeting defense and analytical customers.
• Lynred (formerly Sofradir/ULIS): European leader in infrared detectors based on MCT and InSb technologies, supplying defense, aerospace, and industrial OEMs with a portfolio highly comparable to InfraRed Associates in wavelength coverage and cooling architectures.
• Sensor Unlimited (Collins Aerospace / RTX): U.S. designer and manufacturer of InGaAs and extended-SWIR detectors and cameras, serving defense, industrial, and analytical OEMs in adjacent infrared wavelengths to InfraRed Associates' HgCdTe and InSb portfolio.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/epitek-silicon

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about InfraRed Associates