Exosens brand : Photonis

Photonis is a leading product brand of Exosens, a high-tech company with more than 85 years of experience in the innovation, development, manufacture and sale of high-end electro-optical technologies. Photonis offers its customers photo-detection and low light conditions imaging solutions for extremely demanding environments such as Defense & Security, Nuclear Safety, Life Science and Industrial & Non-Destructive testing. Photonis is internationally recognized as a leading brand and a major innovator in its fields with production and R&D sites in Europe and North America.

Thanks to decades of consolidated expertise, the Photonis brand designs detection and amplification solutions for ions, neutrons, electrons, and photons, meeting the highest requirements of advanced applications across a wide range of fields.

Photonis stands out for its ability to develop critical components for customers with demanding standards, offering high-performance products integrated into diverse systems such as night vision, industrial imaging, mass spectrometry, and semiconductor inspection.

With multiple production sites around the world, the brand relies on close collaboration with its customers to continuously evolve its technological solutions. Photonis is notably behind the most widely used night vision tube among defense forces, ranks among the leading manufacturers in the mass spectrometry detector market, and sees its technologies integrated into the majority of space telescopes as well as many high-energy physics experiments worldwide.

Photonis innovates, develops, manufactures, and sells high-end electro-optical technologies for defense and science

Products 33

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Image intensifier tubes for Defense Image intensifier tube 4G+

Image intensifier tubes for Defense Image intensifier tube 4G

Image intensifier tubes for Defense Image intensifier tube XR5

Image intensifier tubes for Commercial Image intensifier tubes ECHO

Ultra Violet cameras i2Nocturn intensified camera

Ultra Violet cameras UV Missile Warning Solution

Visible - Near Infrared cameras Ultra Violet cameras iNocturn intensified camera

Visible - Near Infrared cameras Nocturn Low light camera

Visible - Near Infrared cameras iCMOS Intensified CMOS

Ions & Electrons Time of Flight Detectors

Ions & Electrons Advanced Performance Detectors

Ions & Electrons Channel electron multipliers

Ions & Electrons Components Microchannel plates

Ions & Electrons Components Electron generator arrays

Photons Scientific image intensifier tubes

Photons MCP-PMT

Photons Cricket™ Adapter Series

Single photon detection Mantis3 Photonis & Amsterdam Scientific

Photons Mantis³ Single Photon Camera

Photons LINCam Single Photon Camera

Photons PhotonPix™ Single Photon Detector

Photons Streak tubes

Components Phosphor Screens

Components Resistive Glass Products

Neutrons Neutronic [i] Neutron Imager

X-Ray & UV Micro pore optics

Power tubes FM power tubes

Power tubes Power tubes for Defense

Power tubes Research and Special Purpose Power Tubes

Power tubes UHF mobile tubes

Power tubes VHF commercial tubes

Power tubes Voltage regulators

Microwave devices Microwave Power Modules

Microwave devices Traveling Wave Tubes

More products

R&D and Innovation

Image Intensifier Tubes are opto-electronic vacuum devices that amplify extremely low levels of light to visible levels detectable by the human eye. Devices equipped with intensifiers—such as night vision goggles or weapon sights—enable detection, recognition, and unmatched identification in low-light environments. Advanced Image Intensifier Tube technology significantly enhances soldiers’ tactical situational awareness, agility, mobility, targeting capabilities, and the ability to operate vehicles during increasingly darker nights.

Thanks to their high resolution and superior signal-to-noise ratio, Photonis' 4G and 4G+ Image Intensifier Tubes reveal more detail in nighttime conditions and extend the effective range of modern night vision devices. The Auto-Gating function continuously adapts to dynamic lighting conditions—such as those encountered during military operations in desert or urban environments—improving image quality and mission effectiveness.

Photonis continues to innovate in night vision technology, notably with the successful launch of the ONYX intensifier tube, which delivers a natural black-and-white image (in contrast to the traditional green-yellow hue). Another major innovation is the iCMOS, which couples an Image Intensifier Tube with a CMOS sensor, transforming it into a digital solution. This breakthrough supports soldier modernization programs by providing real-time digital video images while consuming minimal power.

Photonis’ Research & Development, Engineering, and Program Management teams are dedicated to advancing current product lines and developing cutting-edge technologies and solutions. These efforts are vital to delivering the highest performance products to our customers.

Fields of expertise

Defense & Surveillance

In the defense, security, and surveillance sectors, Photonis offers a wide range of solutions designed for portable targeting systems, aiming equipment for armored vehicles, and integrated defense platforms.

In the field of night vision, Photonis is internationally recognized for its expertise in 4G and 4G+ image intensifier tubes—widely considered the highest-performing tubes in their class. This technology has become the gold standard for French and allied special forces, delivering unmatched image quality, reliability, and operational performance in the most demanding environments.

In digital vision, Photonis develops advanced UV-intensified cameras capable of detecting and visualizing signals in the 200–400 nm wavelength range. These are particularly effective in missile warning systems. Additionally, Photonis offers a complete portfolio of visible and near-infrared (NIR) camera cores that provide real-time imaging in both color and monochrome. These systems operate effectively from daylight conditions to starlight-level illumination, even under overcast skies, across the visible and NIR spectrum.

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Scientific Instrument

In the field of scientific instrumentation, Photonis delivers cutting-edge detection and imaging solutions to scientists and researchers working in space exploration, analytical instruments, cell biology, and materials science.

Photonis has established long-standing partnerships with industry leaders, research institutions worldwide, and major space agencies such as NASA and ESA. These collaborations have enabled the development of custom, high-performance solutions tailored to meet the rigorous demands of space-qualified detectors, mass spectrometers, residual gas analyzers, and surface analysis instruments.

Depending on the specific application, Photonis offers advanced detectors and optical components capable of detecting, amplifying, and imaging photons, electrons, ions, neutrons, and X-rays—even at extremely low intensities of light, radiation, or emissions. Our technologies empower researchers to observe atmospheric and space phenomena such as solar wind, auroras, and weather patterns; to study and classify solar flares; and to explore deep-space phenomena like gamma-ray bursts, black holes, and distant galaxies.

Beyond space research, Photonis detection solutions support scientific advancement in fields such as proteomics, metabolomics, and environmental monitoring. With a continued commitment to R&D investment, Photonis ensures its partners benefit from industry-leading detector solutions that drive discovery and innovation across multiple disciplines.

Industrial & Non-Destructive Testing

In the field of industrial inspection and non-destructive testing, Photonis offers advanced solutions specifically designed for high-precision applications such as semiconductor inspection. Our UV-intensified cameras are widely recognized for their ability to deliver high-resolution, highly accurate imaging—making them essential tools for detecting even the smallest defects in semiconductor components.

Photonis also addresses a critical need in the power and energy sector by offering effective solutions for Corona discharge detection in power grid infrastructure. This phenomenon, which can compromise the performance and safety of high-voltage equipment, is identified using a variety of techniques including acoustic, thermal (infrared), and ultraviolet detection. Leveraging our expertise in electro-optics and component integration, Photonis provides OEMs with efficient, plug-and-play solutions that meet the stringent sensitivity requirements for Corona discharge monitoring.

Furthermore, Photonis is committed to expanding its offering of infrared spectral solutions across a broad range of markets and applications. These include energy efficiency, carbon footprint reduction, and greenhouse gas detection. Our infrared sensors, cores, and cameras—developed and commercialized under the Xenics brand—deliver outstanding electro-optical performance and feature-rich functionalities to meet the most demanding industrial challenges.

Power and Microwave

In the Power and Microwave sector, Photonis Defense designs and manufactures high-performance hybrid power amplifiers that combine the strengths of vacuum electron and solid-state technologies. These amplifiers deliver superior output power, wider bandwidth, and enhanced reliability compared to fully solid-state solutions.

Thanks to their exceptional performance, Photonis' power amplifier solutions are at the core of some of the world’s most advanced electronic warfare jammers, missile systems, weapon-system simulators, and both military and commercial satellite communication systems.

Know-how

As a global manufacturer of electro-optic components for the detection and amplification of ions, electrons, and photons, Photonis is committed to delivering mission-critical technologies for the most demanding applications and customers.

Our exceptional know-how, combined with stringent technical standards and a diversified portfolio of activities, strengthens our global competitiveness and drives our continuous innovation.

Every day, Photonis' expert teams are dedicated to solving tomorrow’s technical challenges across key sectors, including Defense & Security, Life Sciences, and Industrial & Non-Destructive Testing.