SBIR Phase I: Innovative Germanium-based Short Wavelength Infrared Image Sensors

这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力将是短波长红外(SWIR)成像技术在各种行业的广泛使用。基于GE的新SWIR成像传感器技术使红外成像超越了利基工业和科学应用，进入了主流商业市场。这里提出的基于GE的SWIR传感器具有低功耗、高分辨率和显著降低成本的特点。当SWIR图像传感器集成到智能手机等手持设备中时，可以实现非侵入性的实时生物监测。例如，它们可以使糖尿病患者进行无血血糖监测。此外，这些SWIR图像传感器可用于多个领域，包括汽车安全和食品安全检测。该小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目旨在开发基于Ge(Ge)的高分辨率短波红外(SWIR)图像传感器。SWIR灯(800 nm到1.8微米)是肉眼看不见的，但它们可以提供无价的信息。探测SWIR光的图像传感器使夜视和各种产品和材料的亚表面视图成为可能。然而，目前的SWIR图像传感器是由一种名为InGaAs的材料制成的，这种材料的制造成本很高，而且在分辨率和功耗方面存在限制。为了克服这些问题，并将SWIR图像传感器的好处带到我们的日常生活中，人们发明了一种新的SWIR图像传感器的制造方法。将基于GE的SWIR图像传感器的分辨率提高到VGA(640x512)分辨率，同时保持低噪声水平，将极大地促进SWIR成像技术的发展。

The broader impacts/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will be widespread use of Short Wavelength Infrared (SWIR) imaging technology in a variety of industries. New Ge-based SWIR imaging sensor technology enables infrared imaging to move beyond niche industrial and scientific applications and enter mainstream commercial markets. The Ge-based SWIR sensors proposed here are low-power, high-resolution and dramatically lower cost. When incorporated into handheld devices, such as smartphones, SWIR image sensors may allow non-invasive, real-time biological monitoring. For example, they may enable diabetic patients bloodless glucose monitoring. Furthermore, these SWIR Image sensors can be utilized in diverse fields, including automotive safety and food safety inspection. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project seeks to develop high-resolution Ge (Germanium) based Short Wavelength Infrared (SWIR) image sensors. SWIR lights (800 nm to 1.8 µm) are invisible to the human eye, but they can provide invaluable information. Image sensors that detect SWIR lights enable night vision and sub-surface views of a variety of products and materials. However, current SWIR image sensors are made of a material called InGaAs, which is costly to create and has limitations in terms of resolution and power usage. To overcome these problems and bring the benefits of SWIR image sensors into our daily lives, a new method for producing SWIR image sensors has been invented. Improving the resolution of Ge-based SWIR image sensors to VGA (640x512) resolution while maintaining low noise level will dramatically advance SWIR imaging technology.