The scientific footprint of SWIR detectors

Abstract

This paper illuminates the scientific footsteps of the Short-Wave Infrared (SWIR) detectors, tracing the journey of the growth and development in this critical technology area from its early days in 1969 to its swift ascent in 2023. Employing bibliometric information and VOSviewer examination, we unveil major tendencies, thematic clusters, and the dynamic swelling of the scientific publications, spotlighting the burgeoning interest and technological evolution of SWIR detectors. Our research pieces together the key stages of SWIR technology emergence, originating from the initial revelations, advances in material science and also expansion of application spheres from military surveillance to environmental monitoring and medical imaging. Thus, we shed a light on the tremendous sway of SWIR detectors on the optical engineering and also photonics, attributable to their distinct capabilities to resolve current challenges. The findings throw a lot of light on the maturation within the SWIR detector research, underlining its heightening significance in both scientific and also industrial applications. This paper is a very comprehensive overview of the SWIR detector landscape that elaborates the successes of the past and also the trajectory of the future for the researchers, practitioners, and policymakers journeying in this transformative field.