SBIR Phase II: Ultra-Sensitive Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) Technology: A Photon Counting Camera

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This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project will result in an innovative, technologically advanced, imaging system--with the potential of capturing and counting individual photons. The imaging system will be a compact avalanche-gain, charge-coupled device digital camera. The technology generated from this research effort will profoundly benefit many detection and discrimination applications. The innovation will offer high-photoresponse from the deep ultraviolet to the near infrared in very Low-Light-Level, as well as photopic light conditions. In addition, the camera system will have solid-state reliability without typical intensifier imaging tube limitations, such as, image burn-in and blooming. In short, the innovation will have significant cost savings over current conventional multi-spectrum imaging systems and will offer enhanced imaging performance. A possible research, military, law enforcement, or homeland security application for the camera will be black-on-black detection--that is, when faint objects are difficult to discriminate from the background. This far-reaching technology will also be beneficial for many non-military applications: such as, Low-Light-Level physical, deep space and forensic sciences, as well as, photopic (daylight) medical and life sciences. In summary, the imaging system will have the most impact where real-time and lowest possible noise is required.