Grant: Strategic Projects - Group

High-resolution short-wave IR (SWIR) imaging is a very attractive technology with an immense potential in applications that are currently out of the reach of the mainstream infrared imaging technologies. For instance, SWIR (1.4-3 µm) penetrates fog and smog thus enabling imaging through scattering media. SWIR sensors can also passively image even in the dark as the night-glow from the upper atmosphere naturally provides SWIR illumination. SWIR sources can be utilized to illuminate scenes and highlight features of interest, without being detected by naked eyes or conventional night vision devices. This active illumination from eye-safe lasers as well as thermal emissions from objects with temperatures above 150C can well be served by the SWIR sensors. Moreover, the strong absorbance due to molecular vibrations in the SWIR range creates a wealth of opportunities for SWIR devices in spectroscopy and biomedical applications. Current SWIR focal-plane arrays (FPA) are essentially made of InGaAs, InSb, and HgCdTe. However, the high cost and small array size of these detectors translates into an overall cost of a megapixel sensor in the SWIR regime exceeding tens of thousands dollars. This is a major limitation that prevents the broad use of SWIR technologies.This project will concentrate on developing a scalable SWIR imaging device directly integrated on silicon. We propose a novel hybrid organic-inorganic up-conversion device consisting of a direct tandem integration of an inorganic silicon-germanium-tin photodetector with an organic light emitting diode. This device is capable of converting light from the 1.4-3 µm range to visible light. This technology provides a serious potential for low cost and large size SWIR FPA operating in a broader wavelength range. This is highly desirable for many applications such as high temperature manufacturing processes, night-time surveillance, agricultural raw material cleaning and sorting, biological imaging, and plastic recycling of automotive and consumer products.