The application fields of infrared detectors continue to expand. In some fields, the product price is sensitive. In order to control production costs, infrared chalcogenide glass gradually replaces some higher-priced infrared crystals, and the application ratio begins to rise.

Infrared glass is an important part of infrared detectors, which can form optical components. Its function is to transmit infrared rays to the scanning device to the maximum extent, so that it can be detected by the detector.

In photodetectors, infrared detectors are important product types. Infrared detectors convert infrared radiation signals into electrical signals, which can be used in fields such as detection, measurement, metering, thermal imaging, remote sensing, and missile guidance. In order to filter out other light rays and avoid interference, infrared detectors need to use infrared glass. Infrared glass can make large-size optical components, and its surface has high hardness and is easy to process.

Infrared rays include high-frequency near-infrared rays, medium-frequency mid-infrared rays, and low-frequency far-infrared rays, with energy ranging from high to low. According to the "2024-2029 China Infrared Glass Industry Market In-Depth Research and Development Prospect Forecast Report" released by Sinotrust Industry Research Center, infrared glass can be divided into near-infrared glass, mid-infrared glass, and far-infrared glass according to the light wave bands that can be passed through. According to different materials, infrared glass can be divided into calcium aluminate glass, germanate glass, gallate glass, tellurite glass, doped antimonate glass, chalcogenide glass, etc.

The infrared transmissivity of infrared chalcogenide glass is close to that of germanium single crystal, and its refractive index temperature coefficient is low. The preparation of infrared chalcogenide glass usually adopts the melt quenching method, and the processing usually adopts precision molding technology, which can manufacture complex-shaped optical components with fast production speed, high production efficiency, and low cost. The application fields of infrared detectors continue to expand, and some fields are sensitive to product prices. In order to control production costs, infrared chalcogenide glass gradually replaces some higher-priced infrared crystals, and the application ratio begins to rise.

Infrared glass can be widely used in fields such as instrumentation, medical care, industrial inspection, product quality inspection, power inspection, security monitoring, drones, smart homes, smart cars, firefighting, military and defense, etc. There are differences in the preparation processes of infrared glass with different materials, transmitting different wavelengths of infrared rays, and being used in different scenarios, which place higher requirements on the research and development and technological capabilities of production enterprises.

Analysts from Sinotrust Industry Research said that China Building Materials Academy is one of the representative infrared glass research and development manufacturers in China. It has developed large-size and highly uniform chalcogenide glass for infrared thermal imaging systems and achieved high-precision processing. In addition, there are also infrared glass manufacturers in China such as Hubei Xinhua Guang Information Materials Co., Ltd. and Guangdong Chengzhuo Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.

In December 2023, the National Development and Reform Commission revised and issued a new version of the "Guidance Catalog for Industrial Structure Adjustment (2024 Version)", which will be officially implemented on February 1, 2024. Its encouraged projects include ultraviolet glass, infrared glass, and special dispersion glass for photoelectric detection technology. In general, the development prospects of China's infrared glass industry are broad.