Fast infrared sensors for advanced 3D imaging

用于高级 3D 成像的快速红外传感器

• 批准号: 556024-2020
• 负责人: Sargent, Edward
• 金额: $ 9.11万
• 依托单位: University of Toronto
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Idea to Innovation
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2020-01-01 至 2021-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=706073
• 关键词: Fast; infrared; sensors; advanced; 3D

We will advance a new technology for time-of-flight (ToF) distance ranging that enables 3D imaging. The application of the technology is in the consumer electronics and automotive sectors - markets today totaling multi-$10Billion at the sensor level, and growing at 23%/year CAGR. There is increasing demand in consumer electronics for augmented reality and enhanced user experience; reliable face identification and biometrics for privacy and security of personal data; and, in the automotive sector, for accurate machine vision to enable safe self-driving cars. The incumbent technology relies on the emission of sub-nanosecond pulses of near-infrared (typically 850 and 940 nm) light that, once reflected from the object being imaged (the target), are detected using a silicon photodetector. The delay time between emission from the source, and return to the detector, contains information about the distance of the object. Today's technologies are limited by silicon's insensitivity to infrared light longer than 1100 nm - a spectral region where cost-effective and efficient light sources exist, and background solar radiation is minimized. The present-day alternatives to silicon, such as InGaAs, are too costly and difficult to integrate in existing readout electronic systems. Our new ToF technology employs colloidal quantum dots (QD) to realize efficient, fast, and cost-effective photodetectors operating at 1380 nm. This grant will enable the development of a prototype and the systematic comparison of its performance compared to existing / incumbent technologies. These results will be key to attract seed investment in a startup company and to establish strategic partnerships to accelerate the time to marketing of the proposed technology.

我们将推进一种可实现 3D 成像的飞行时间 (ToF) 距离测距新技术。该技术在消费电子和汽车领域得到应用，目前传感器层面的市场总额达 100 亿美元，并且以每年 23% 的复合年增长率增长。消费电子产品对增强现实和增强用户体验的需求不断增长；可靠的人脸识别和生物识别，确保个人数据的隐私和安全；在汽车领域，实现准确的机器视觉以实现安全的自动驾驶汽车。现有技术依赖于近红外（通常为 850 和 940 nm）光的亚纳秒脉冲的发射，一旦从被成像物体（目标）反射，就会使用硅光电探测器进行检测。从源发射到返回检测器之间的延迟时间包含有关物体距离的信息。当今的技术受到硅对长于 1100 nm 的红外光不敏感的限制——在这个光谱区域中存在经济有效的光源，并且背景太阳辐射被最小化。目前的硅替代品（例如 InGaAs）成本太高且难以集成到现有的读出电子系统中。我们的新 ToF 技术采用胶体量子点 (QD) 来实现在 1380 nm 下运行的高效、快速且经济高效的光电探测器。这笔赠款将有助于开发原型并与其现有/现有技术进行系统性能比较。这些结果对于吸引初创公司的种子投资以及建立战略合作伙伴关系以加快拟议技术的营销时间至关重要。