Quantum Enhanced Imaging with Micro-LED Ultrafast Electronic Visual Display Technology

采用 Micro-LED 超快电子视觉显示技术的量子增强成像

• 批准号: 2606676
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: University of Strathclyde
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Studentship
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2021 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=studentship-2606676
• 关键词: Quantum; Enhanced; Imaging; Micro; LED

The Institute of Photonics is a recognised international pioneer of microscopic light-emitting diodes (micro-LEDs), constituting a new high-brightness microdisplay and backlighting technology - being applied, for example, to advanced virtual and augmented reality headsets. These devices have proven interesting capabilities in application areas well beyond simple display functionality, including biophotonics, wireless optical networks, and quantum level imaging. The attraction in this technology is underpinned by direct interfacing to CMOS electronics, operation at very high (Megahertz) frame rates, and data transmission at gigabits/second. The emission wavelength and high-speed modulation characteristics of these micro-LEDs make them an ideal source for detection with silicon single photon avalanche diodes (SPADs), which can detect single photons with sub-nanosecond timing accuracy and can be fabricated into single photon sensitive image sensors. Low resolution micro-LED arrays with up to 16x16 elements and kHz update rates have already been used together with SPADs for proof-of-concept demonstrations in 3D imaging, multi-spectral imaging, and low light level communications operating at a few photons per bit.This project will transform these earlier concept demonstrations into an unexplored regime of high pixel count and MHz update rates. The research is based on a new generation of 128x128 LED arrays, which are currently being developed at the Institute of Photonics in collaboration with the University of Edinburgh, and which present a host of new challenges and opportunities. In order to operate these large arrays in the millions of frames per second regime, it is necessary to accurately control the timing of more than 70 parallel digital control signals with nanosecond precision. The successful applicant will help to develop electronic control interfaces that meet these demands, investigate their effect in different device configurations (e.g. different LED emission wavelength from deep ultra-violet to green), and link them to demands from specific applications, in particular those linked to the National Quantum Hub on Quantum Enhanced Imaging. They will integrate these LED arrays into prototype systems for microfabrication, high frame-rate imaging with single photon sensitivity, and new digital systems that merge sensing and communications functions. The project will encompass optical systems design and development, electronic driver and software coding, and sparse data signal processing techniques, all of which are skills in high demand both in academic research and in industrial R&D. The PhD student will have access to state-of-the-art, custom LED and SPAD array devices, optical characterisation facilities and software tools, and will contribute to the UK's National Programme on Quantum Technologies.

光子学研究所是公认的微型发光二极管 (micro-LED) 领域的国际先驱，该技术构成了一种新型高亮度微显示器和背光技术，例如应用于先进的虚拟和增强现实耳机。事实证明，这些设备在应用领域具有令人感兴趣的功能，远远超出了简单的显示功能，包括生物光子学、无线光学网络和量子级成像。该技术的吸引力在于与 CMOS 电子器件的直接接口、极高（兆赫）帧速率的操作以及千兆位/秒的数据传输。这些 Micro-LED 的发射波长和高速调制特性使其成为硅单光子雪崩二极管 (SPAD) 检测的理想光源，该二极管可以以亚纳秒定时精度检测单光子，并且可以制作成单光子敏感器件图像传感器。具有高达 16x16 元件和 kHz 更新率的低分辨率 micro-LED 阵列已与 SPAD 一起用于 3D 成像、多光谱成像和以每比特几个光子运行的低光级通信的概念验证演示该项目将把这些早期的概念演示转变为未经探索的高像素数和 MHz 更新率的机制。该研究基于新一代 128x128 LED 阵列，该阵列目前正在光子学研究所与爱丁堡大学合作开发，并带来了许多新的挑战和机遇。为了在每秒数百万帧的范围内操作这些大型阵列，需要以纳秒精度精确控制 70 多个并行数字控制信号的时序。成功的申请人将帮助开发满足这些需求的电子控制接口，研究它们在不同设备配置中的效果（例如从深紫外线到绿光的不同LED发射波长），并将它们与特定应用的需求联系起来，特别是那些链接的应用前往国家量子增强成像量子中心。他们将把这些 LED 阵列集成到原型系统中，用于微加工、具有单光子灵敏度的高帧率成像，以及融合传感和通信功能的新型数字系统。该项目将涵盖光学系统设计和开发、电子驱动器和软件编码以及稀疏数据信号处理技术，所有这些都是学术研究和工业研发领域急需的技能。博士生将有机会使用最先进的定制 LED 和 SPAD 阵列设备、光学表征设施和软件工具，并将为英国国家量子技术计划做出贡献。