Single photon color image sensor

Abstract

A pixelated electronic sensor is disclosed for imaging from infra-red to ultraviolet wavelengths, composed of a CMOS integrated circuit plus layers of nano-materials monolithically integrated via low temperature post-processing. Co-design, simulation, and integration methods for the device are described. Each pixel has color-resolved single photon sensitivity without dark counts and without inefficiency. The device operates at temperatures above 70° Kelvin. Current state of the art imagers that can color-resolve single photons are of bolometric or filter type. Bolometric devices must operate at temperature below 1° Kelvin and are limited to few pixels. Devices that use filters are inefficient as all the photons rejected by a filter are wasted. Single photon imagers that operate at non-cryogenic temperature (like Silicon Photomultipliers) have large dark counts typically measured in MHz/cm2. Imaging applications include astronomical telescopes, exoplanet imaging, distant galaxy imaging, microscopic imaging, medical devices, and hyperspectral imaging.

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