SBIR Phase I: Development of a High Gain Imaging Avalance Photodiode

* 9761316 Karplus 这项小型企业创新研究第一阶段提案旨在开发一种雪崩光电二极管，用作高增益单光子成像设备，为每个探测到的光子事件生成入射时间和位置。 这样的装置将为基于微通道板的单光子成像检测器提供更低成本、更高性能的替代方案，并且将以比传统图像文件更有利于快速分析的格式提供数据。 该装置的应用包括各种新兴技术，用于生理和发育过程的真实的体内成像，例如使用发光指示剂的钙动力学和自由基产生。 该项目的第一阶段涉及成像雪崩光电二极管器件的设计、构造和表征的三次迭代，以验证器件概念、建立设计要求并确定生产成本。 第二阶段将生产一个商业成像系统，包括一个成像雪崩光电二极管在一个C型安装外壳，定制的支持电子和数据采集和分析软件。 第三阶段将寻求机会将该设备用于其他成像应用，如正电子发射断层扫描和单光子发射计算机断层扫描，并将考虑如何将位置传感技术应用于类似的半导体设备。 许多科学和医学成像应用需要高增益、高分辨率的图像感测器件。 期望提高这些装置的性能和降低其成本的需求增长以跟上可用于钙动力学、自由基产生、基因特异性活性和其它生理学上重要的过程的体内成像的发光标记的发展。 我们的设备将以更低的成本为科学和医学的应用和研究社区提供更高的性能，使研究活动更有效，并降低临床程序的成本。 它还将使新的研究和商业应用成为可能，因为将使用独特的图像采集和分析范式。 ***

*** 9761316 Karplus This small business innovation research Phase I proposal seeks to develop an avalanche photodiode for use as a high gain single photon imaging device that generates the time and position of incidence for each detected photon event. Such a device will provide a lower cost, higher performance alternative to microchannel plate based single photon imaging detectors and will provide data in a format that is more conducive to rapid analysis than traditional image files. Applications for the device include a variety of emerging techniques for real time in-vivo imaging of physiological and developmental processes such as calcium dynamics and free radical production using luminescent indicators. Phase I of this project involves three iterations of the design, construction and characterization of an imaging avalanche photodiode device to verify the device concept, establish the design requirements and determine the production costs. Phase II will produce a commercial imaging system that consists of an imaging avalanche photodiode in a c-mount enclosure, customized support electronics and data acquisition and analysis software. Phase III will pursue opportunities to use the device for other imaging applications such as positron emission tomography and single photon emission computed tomography, and will also consider how to apply the position sensing technology to similar semiconductor devices. Many scientific and medical imaging applications require high gain, high resolution image sensing devices. The need for improving the performance and reducing the cost of these devices is expected to grow to keep pace with the development of luminescent labels that can be used for in-vivo imaging of calcium dynamics, free radical production, gene specific activity, and other physiologically significant processes. Our device will provide higher performance at a lower cost to both the applied and research communities in science and medicine, making research activities more efficient and reducing the cost of clinical procedures. It will also make new research and commercial applications possible because of a unique image acquisition and analysis paradigm that will be used. ***