Technology Opportunities

There is a growing need for enhanced sensitivity in the measurements of optical phenomena. The most sensitive of optical detectors, single photon detectors (SPD’s) can be used to enhance medical and diagnostic imaging, chemical analysis, laser scanning, laser ranging, material characterization, quantum information processing and communication, and scientific research. Most SPD’s are incapable of detecting photons in the infrared wavelength and those that are usually plagued by poor quantum efficiency or require very low operating temperatures (about 10K). However, this invention is an important step closer in the effort to detect a single infrared photon at almost room temperature with high quantum efficiency.