Materials such as InGaSb and HgCdTe are commonly used in the production of IR detectors and emitters, and are closely related to the materials required for phase change memory and thermoelectric applications. In addition, there has been significant academic interest in using nanostructured forms of these materials for IR applications; advantages of nanowire arrays include a reduction in grain boundaries, charge extraction via a single crystalline domain, and the possibility of producing longitudinally heterostructured devices.
