Infrared sensors are a very common type of sensor. Their principle is to use the physical properties of infrared rays for measurement. Infrared rays, also known as infrared light, possess properties such as reflection, refraction, scattering, interference, and absorption. It is well known that infrared sensing technology is widely used in modern technology, national defense, and industrial and agricultural fields—for example, infrared dust PM2.5 sensors used in smart home devices like air purifiers and air conditioners with purification functions.

Sensors are important electronic components in automation control. As the perception layer of the information age and intelligent era, they serve as the gateway for receiving and transmitting massive amounts of data. Consequently, many new demands for downstream emerging applications have emerged. Driven by the needs of equipment such as fresh air systems and vehicle purifiers, the sensor market maintains steady and rapid growth. With the development of modern science and technology, the application prospects for sensors will be even broader.

Based on the superior performance of infrared sensors—such as strong environmental adaptability, good stealth, excellent ability to identify disguised targets, small size, light weight, and low power consumption—sensor applications can be used in gas composition analysis, non-destructive testing, thermal imaging detection, infrared remote sensing, and military target reconnaissance, search, tracking, and communication.

In the era of the knowledge economy, countries value continuous breakthroughs in science and technology, so all industries are ushering in a high-speed period of industrial development. Similarly, countries are competing to accelerate the development and industrialization of a new generation of sensors, making market competition increasingly fierce. LUFMES editors have learned that according to industry analysts, the domestic sensor market currently maintains medium-to-high speed development, with an average annual growth rate of about 20%. At the same time, under various encouragements and support from the market, technology, and policy, China's sensor industry will move toward miniaturization, digitalization, intelligence, multi-functionalization, systematization, networking, and integration.

With the increasingly sophisticated detection equipment and related technologies, infrared sensors already play a huge role in modern production practices, and products will have a broader application experience.