A quantum well infrared photodetector (QWIP), is an infrared photodetector made from semiconductor materials which contain one or more quantum wells. These can be integrated together with electronics and optics to make infrared cameras for thermography. A very common well material is gallium arsenide, used with barrier material aluminium gallium arsenide. There are several companies world-wide manufacturing infrared systems which use QWIPs. It is also considered a game changing technology for such applications as air-to-air missiles, where it can detect objects which are well outside the visual range of the pilot.
Famous quotes containing the word quantum:
“A personality is an indefinite quantum of traits which is subject to constant flux, change, and growth from the birth of the individual in the world to his death. A character, on the other hand, is a fixed and definite quantum of traits which, though it may be interpreted with slight differences from age to age and actor to actor, is nevertheless in its essentials forever fixed.”
—Hubert C. Heffner (1901–1985)