MAIN TRENDS IN DEVELOPMENT OF PHOTODETECTORS

AND PHOTODETECTIVE ASSEMBLIES FOR THERMAL IMAGING

IN 1970—1998

L. N. Kurbatov

The State Unitary Enterprise “RD&P Center “Orion”, Moscow, Russia

The aim of the article is providing an additional information to A.M. Filachev and V.P. Ponomarenko report on the new generation of multielement photoelectric photodetectors for thermal imaging systems. The history of the Institute of Applied Physics referring to USSR Defense Industry Ministry activity in the field of photodetectors is briefly reviewed and its role in production of semiconductor materials, microelectronic components and microcryogenic engineering is shîwn. At the end of the article an alternative method of solving a photodetector problem by application of thermal photodetectors is considered. In conclusion, some economical and commercial problems that appeared after the end of ”cold war” are considered.