Infrared photoelectric detectors have shown their versatility in military, civilian and scientific research applications. Because of many advantages, the detector material HgCdTe has played a vital role in the development of infrared photoelectric detectors. Up to now, it is still the best choice for many applications. First, the SWaP3 concept proposed for the new generation of infrared detectors is analyzed. Then, the HgCdTe materials qualified for the third generation of infrared focal plane arrays (FPA) are presented in brief. Finally, the research progress of large format array devices, very long wavelength devices, high operation temperature (HOT) devices, hyper-spectral devices, dual-band devices and avalanche photoelectric diodes (APD) is summarized.