Imagine an infrared sensor that works straight out of the box — no cryogenic cooling, no bulky hardware, no steep price tag. That’s exactly what researchers from the MEMS, Microfluidics and Nanoelectronics (MMNE) Laboratory at BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus, and the Sensor Technology Development Centre (STDC) at CMTI, Bengaluru, have achieved. Infrared sensing underpins a wide range of critical technologies, from autonomous vehicles, industrial automation, and night vision to environmental monitoring, security systems, and smart healthcare devices — but most high-performance IR detectors today rely on costly materials and cooling systems that make them expensive and difficult to deploy at scale. This new sensor changes that equation. Built from a hybrid nanocomposite of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles, it operates at room temperature yet delivers a striking resistance change of over 4200% under infrared light, sensing signals from as far as 1.2 metres away — all on very little power. Developed using a scalable dielectrophoretic manufacturing process compatible with existing semiconductor fabrication, and recently accepted for publication in Sensors and Actuators A: Physical, the innovation was led by Dr Harsha S, scientist-D and group head, STDC, CMTI, and doctoral researcher at BITS Pilani Hyderabad, alongside Prof Sanket Goel, chair professor and founder, MMNE Laboratory, BITS Pilani. Born from a strong academia–industry collaboration bringing together expertise in nanomaterials, MEMS, microfabrication, and sensor engineering, the breakthrough points toward a future where affordable, compact infrared sensing powers everything from autonomous vehicles and industrial safety systems to contactless sensing, wearable health devices, and robotic skin. CE speaks to Prof Sanket Goel about the team’s breakthrough room-temperature infrared sensor, the science behind the innovation, and how it could reshape the future of affordable sensing technologies.
Excerpts
What gap in existing infrared detection technologies were you trying to solve through this research?
Infrared detectors are already widely available, but they come with several limitations. One of the biggest challenges is that most conventional infrared detectors require cooling systems because they heat up very quickly during operation. Our sensor, however, operates efficiently at room temperature, eliminating the need for these additional cooling components. This makes the detector significantly lighter, less bulky, and much easier to deploy.
Another major advantage is cost. We have used two simple nanomaterials — single-walled carbon nanotubes and zinc oxide nanoparticles — which are inexpensive, readily available, and have already been extensively studied in the public domain. Because the sensor does not require a cooling mechanism and is lightweight, its power consumption is also considerably lower, making it suitable for deployment in remote or power-constrained environments.
A further advantage is its sensing range. Our detector can accurately measure infrared signals from distances of up to around 1.2 metres while maintaining repeatability and reproducibility. Many commercially available infrared detectors work only over a few millimetres or centimetres. These features collectively benchmark our technology against existing commercial infrared detectors.
The sensor operates at room temperature without cooling systems. Why is achieving this considered such a significant scientific milestone?
A simple analogy would be to imagine running on a highway. The carbon nanotubes act as highly conductive highways that allow electrons to move very efficiently. Meanwhile, the zinc oxide nanoparticles ensure that the pathway remains clean and obstacle-free, almost like well-maintained roads with proper infrastructure. Together, these two materials minimise the limitations that normally require cooling systems in conventional infrared detectors, allowing the sensor to function efficiently at room temperature.
Was there a particular limitation in conventional infrared sensors that motivated this research?
Existing infrared detectors are generally bulky because they incorporate additional cooling components. This becomes a significant drawback in sectors where weight matters enormously, such as aerospace, space technologies and other advanced engineering applications, where every gram adds to operational challenges.
Adding cooling systems also increases power consumption. Therefore, reducing both weight and power requirements was one of our primary motivations. We also wanted to improve the distance over which infrared signals could be accurately detected.
Your work combines single-walled carbon nanotubes with zinc oxide nanoparticles. What makes this combination particularly effective for infrared detection?
The chemistry behind this combination is already well established, but assembling the two materials efficiently is the key challenge.
When assembling carbon nanotubes and zinc oxide nanoparticles, they must be integrated in a controlled manner so that the nanocomposite remains stable.
To achieve this, we use a technique called dielectrophoresis, which allows the nanoparticles to assemble in a highly organised manner under controlled electric fields. This ensures that the nanocomposite remains intact and that electrons can move efficiently across the structure, significantly improving sensor performance.
The sensor records a resistance change of over 4,200% under infrared illumination. What does this indicate in terms of sensitivity and real-world performance?
This large resistance change directly contributes to two major advantages. First, it enables infrared detection from distances of up to around 1.2 metres. Second, it helps eliminate the need for cooling systems.
The extended sensing range has significant industrial relevance. For example, in robotics and manufacturing environments involving extremely high temperatures — such as semiconductor fabrication or solar manufacturing — it is neither practical nor safe to place sensors within a few millimetres of the heat source. A detector capable of accurately sensing from a greater distance becomes extremely valuable in such scenarios.
Can this technology eventually find its way into everyday consumer electronics such as smartphones or smart home devices?
Absolutely. One immediate application is in semiconductor manufacturing. During chip fabrication, silicon wafers undergo oxidation at temperatures ranging from roughly 800°C to over 1,200°C, depending on the desired oxide layer. Even a small temperature variation can affect the fabrication of transistors that are only a few nanometres in size.
Highly accurate infrared detectors help maintain these temperatures with precision, improving manufacturing quality and reproducibility. Since semiconductor chips eventually power smartphones, computers and numerous electronic devices, the technology certainly has the potential to support future consumer electronics as well.
Cost has long been a barrier to widespread infrared sensing. How much closer does this innovation bring us to affordable technology at scale?
At this stage, we have developed and tested a laboratory prototype, so we have not carried out a detailed cost analysis yet. However, if we look purely at the raw materials, both carbon nanotubes and zinc oxide nanoparticles become extremely inexpensive when produced at scale. It is still too early to provide an exact commercial cost, but based on current estimates, the material cost could potentially be in the range of a few hundred rupees.
This project is the result of a collaboration between BITS Pilani Hyderabad Campus and the Central Manufacturing Technology Institute (CMTI). How did academia and industry complement each other during this research?
The collaboration was highly complementary. The first author of the paper, Harsha, is pursuing his PhD in our laboratory because of our expertise in synthesising and scaling nanomaterials.
At BITS Pilani, we developed, optimised and scaled the nanomaterials. CMTI, which functions under the Ministry of Heavy Industries, contributed significantly towards device packaging, implementation and experimental validation. Together, both institutions combined their strengths to develop and validate the complete infrared sensor.
As India strengthens its focus on deep-tech and semiconductor innovation, where do you see indigenous sensor technologies fitting into the country’s larger technological ambitions?
I believe they fit perfectly into India’s larger vision. This entire technology has been developed indigenously from material synthesis and optimisation to large-scale production, sensor fabrication, packaging and testing. It is a completely home-grown effort.
Our laboratory is not only developing sensors but also the enabling technologies required to manufacture them, including lithography tools used in semiconductor fabrication. With strong support from the Government of India and collaborations with institutions like CMTI, we are steadily building indigenous capabilities across the semiconductor ecosystem. Developments like these demonstrate that India is becoming increasingly self-reliant in advanced sensor technologies and semiconductor manufacturing.
