A counter-measure to blind the tiny detectors inside the terrorists’ heat-seeking missiles that can detect infrared light given off by hot objects, using as guidance, has been invented. These missiles can easily detect the infrared light from hot objects like aircrafts as their target guidance.



Unlike the presently used infrared countermeasure, both bulky and expensive, thus able to protect only a few military aircraft, engineers have developed a new type of diode laser — the Quantum Cascade Laser (QCL) — which is inherently compact and suitable for mass-production. And this has led to their widespread and low-cost use in everyday products, which includes CD and DVD players.



Via: Science Daily