Infrared specialist LYNRED has launched Sirocco SW, an extended shortwave infrared (eSWIR) detector intended to move space-grade spectral capability into industrial and environmental measurement. The company says the device supports detection out to 2.5 microns at VGA resolution (640 × 512), pushing beyond the 1.7-micron ceiling typical of InGaAs-based SWIR sensors, and widening the usable window for spectroscopy-led analysis.
The target applications read like a checklist of industries currently being asked to do more measurement with less tolerance for uncertainty. In mining, Sirocco SW is pitched as a tool for better discrimination of soil and rock samples during exploration, including for rare earths and other strategic minerals, with the implied benefit of reducing unnecessary drilling and accelerating decision-making. In agriculture and land management, the detector is framed as enabling spectral soil mapping from satellites, drones, or aircraft to characterise soil type, quality, and moisture content, with knock-on value for irrigation strategy and resilience planning.
Environmental monitoring is the third leg of the pitch. LYNRED says the same spectral reach can support detection of gases including CO₂, CO, CH₄, and N₂O, aligning with emissions tracking and compliance work that increasingly expects instrument-grade data rather than “best effort” estimates. The company also flags industrial process control above 300 °C as a further use case, leaning on the overlap between SWIR benefits and thermal measurement demands.
Under the hood, the product leans on mercury cadmium telluride (MCT) technology developed and qualified through space programmes, which LYNRED says enables reliable detection up to 2.5 microns while maintaining sensitivity and robustness. Pierre Jenouvrier, Cooled Product Unit Director at LYNRED, said: “Until now, this level of eSWIR performance was largely confined to space applications. With Sirocco SW, we make that capability accessible to industrial and environmental users who need better data to address resource scarcity, climate constraints, and sustainability challenges.”
LYNRED says Sirocco SW will be offered as a focal plane array for custom integration or as a packaged detector within its PlugUp platform, with a space-enhanced cryogenic design under development for New Space applications. The company is presenting the sensor at SPIE Photonics West 2026 in San Francisco, running January 20–22.
