Quantum imaging sensors

Medical imaging is an emerging field of research involving the use of several detection techniques based on single-photon technology. Particular emphasis is given to the study of architectures and the optimization of devices in complementary metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) technology.

Single-photon technology for biomedical imaging leverages advanced, deep-submicron, CMOS processes to create massive arrays of single-photon detectors and silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) together with parallel processing units on the same chip. Micro-optics components can be built on top of the single-photon pixels. Target fields are biology, physics, and medical imaging.

Time-resolved Raman spectroscopy is a nondestructive optical analysis technique that obtains structural and compositional information from organic and inorganic samples. Significant background noise reduction is achieved based on the temporal difference between Raman signature (virtually instantaneous) and large background fluorescence (ns~ms). A CMOS SPAD based time-resolved Raman spectrometer offers background fluorescence rejection with a significant reduction in size, mass, operation voltage, and power.

Super-resolution microscopy is an imaging technique to achieve sub-diffraction resolutions using conventional optics and selective molecular imaging. SPIM and GSDIM are variants using image sensors fabricated in our laboratory.

3D integrated circuits for standard CMOS bond stacks of ICs in heterogeneous processes to achieve high speeds, miniaturization, and low power. Image sensors will benefit from this technology with higher photon detection efficiency.

An important design activity centers around systems of systems based on quantum devices: high-speed 2D/3D cameras, embedded and reconfigurable processing architectures, single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) technology, digital silicon photomultipliers, CMOS DNA sensors, and plasmonics.

Ultra-fast IC Design
Fundamentals of Single-photon Detection
Single-Photon Imaging
Positron Emission Tomography (PET)
DNA Detection
3D Imaging
In-vivo Brain Imaging
Optically synchronied instruction set extensions

History

Non-Invasive High Resolution Near-Infrared Imaging for Hemodynamics Monitoring and Tumor Detection

Large high-resolution imaging sensor aimed at the diagnosis and treatment of cancer and functional imaging of the brain

Pico-second Silicon Photomultiplier-Electronics & Crystal Research

Ultra-fast photon detectors for medical imaging (PET)

Novel multimodal endoscopic probes for simultaneous PET/ultrasound imaging for image-guided interventions

Development of new, higher performance imaging techniques with multimodal capability for endoscopic procedures in diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy and in surgical oncology.

Fully Networked, Digital Components for Photon-starved Biomedical Imaging Systems

Array of single-photon detectors arranged in a network of tens of dies for application in PET imaging