News: Optoelectronics
6 March 2024
Phlux shipping 1550nm InGaAs APDs in volume as export orders drive demand
Phlux Technology (which was spun out of the UK’s Sheffield University in December 2022) has won a six-figure (GBP)-value export contract and is now shipping production quantities of its 1550nm indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) avalanche photodiode (APD) infrared sensors.
“Unlike most semiconductor companies, we didn’t need to win new design slots before generating sales. Our Noiseless InGaAs APDs are drop-in replacements for traditional IR photodetectors,” notes CEO Ben White. “They’re ideal for making instant performance upgrades to laser rangefinders, LiDAR and optical-fiber test equipment, so we’re seeing immediate demand, particularly across North America and Europe,” he adds. “There will be more product announcements as we build on this success over the next few months. Just over a year after closing an initial £4m seed funding round, we’ve now delivered products to 15 customers.”
“Securing a significant contract so quickly after their seed round is great validation of Phlux’s technology, vision and execution,” comments Dr Amy Nommeots-Nomm, early-stage investor at Octopus Ventures. “Phlux are proving they can deliver their incredible innovation to customers and are on an exciting trajectory to shape the future direction of LiDAR, communications and sensing,” she adds. “We are excited to see them continue to deliver on their roadmap, bringing products to market, and building further strategic partnerships.”
Launched in January, Phlux’s Aura 1550nm APDs are claimed to be 12x more sensitive than other best-in-class InGaAs APDs. The operating range of IR-based systems can hence be immediately extended by up to 50% as well as offering accuracy and environmental stability. In new designs, it is possible to reduce the power of the laser diode that produces IR pulses and simplify both the system optics and thermal management arrangements, cutting product size and cost.
Phlux says that the performance of Noiseless InGaAs APDs is boosted by the addition of antimony alloy in the compound semiconductor fabrication process. This not only increases the sensitivity of the diodes but greatly improves their thermal stability, making them more environmentally robust, the firm adds.
Phlux unveils Noiseless InGaAs APDs as first products
Phlux secures £4m in seed funding to bring antimonide-based LiDAR sensors to market
