News: Optoelectronics
23 January 2026
Phlux wins SPIE Prism Award for Sensors at Photonics West
Phlux Technology — which was spun off from the University of Sheffield in 2020 and designs and manufactures 1550nm avalanche photodiode (APD) infrared (IR) sensors — has won the SPIE Prism Award for its Aura family of 1550nm Noiseless InGaAs APD sensors. The award was presented at a gala dinner during SPIE Photonics West 2026 in San Francisco, CA, USA (20–22 January).
Picture: Aura Noiseless InGaAs APD Technology wins the ‘Sensors’ category of the 2026 SPIE Prism Awards.
The sensors are said to be 12x more sensitive than traditional indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) APDs, a performance boost that eluded the IR sensor industry for over 20 years. The improvement was achieved by adding an antimony alloy into the compound semiconductor manufacturing process, which dramatically reduced the noise generated in the avalanche amplification process and also produced other enhancements including dynamic range improvements, fast recovery in the presence of large signals, and better temperature stability. Noiseless InGaAs patented technology is the result of eight years of research at the University of Sheffield.
Available in 30µm, 80µm and 200µm versions, for a given laser power the sensors extend the range of IR systems by up to 50%. Optionally, significantly lower laser power can be used while maintaining system range. This approach cuts system costs by up to 40% and size and weight by up to 30%. Currently, the sensors’ primary applications are professional laser range finders, fiber-optic test equipment (OTDRs), long-distance LiDAR, and free-space optical communications. At 1550nm eye-safe operation assured, which is a great advantage over 905nm IR systems, enabling extended system range because higher-power lasers can be used without introducing risk.
“This is a crowning moment for our team after five years of relentless effort in technical innovation and product commercialization,” says CEO Ben White.
Phlux makes available evaluation board for Aura Noiseless InGaAs APDs
Phlux adds high-speed, high-bandwidth 30µm APDs to the Aura family of 1550nm IR sensors
