Spectral selectivity in infrared thermal detection

Advances in nanomechanical structures and thermal-emission devices have provided fresh perspectives for the development of infrared thermal detectors. Joseph Talghader and colleagues at the University of Minnesota, USA, review fundamental and technological progress in the field from the perspective of spectrally selective detection, which is important for applications ranging from chemical detection and target recognition to studies in cavity quantum electrodynamics. Placing emphasis on devices operating at non-cryogenic temperatures, Talghader et al. discuss basic and practical aspects of detectors based on both natural and artificial materials. They round off their discussion by looking at current trends in material science and imaging technology to speculate about the future directions of the field.