Low noise, high-throughput, time-resolved single-photon sensor for quantum applications

There is demand for quantum sensors that are capable of parallelised time-resolved single photon counting (TCSPC) to enhance efficiency and speed. However, various applications require different area, line, and array sensor architectures. In line with the quantum enhanced/single photon imaging scope of this call, we will develop demonstrator prototypes of a fibre/s-fed, low noise, 1024-fold parallelised TCSPC detector array. We will explore areas where this product can become a key enabling technology for applications identified in the UK Quantum Roadmap, including surveillance, LIDAR, microscopy, medical imaging, spectroscopy etc. We will innovatively combine a prototype TCSPC array with novel optical coupling technologies, efficiently distributing light from either a single multimode fibre, or an array of single-mode fibres, to the sensor pixels.

Through this project, Photon Force will advance its product portfolio leading to a future range of fully integrated TCSPC products that are immediately suitable for new markets. The developed integrated optical coupling technologies will allow us to respond rapidly to emerging demands for new quantum imaging sensors, and will have a role to play in wider quantum metrology, sensing, information and science. Heriot Watt and Fraunhofer UK will benefit from early access to state-of-the-art quantum image sensors. Heriot Watt has a critical mass of world-leading research in single-photon science, with a particular focus on first-photon imaging, for applications ranging from ballistic imaging of medical instruments, to imaging light-in-flight.

This project seeks to enable impact in the following areas:

1. Commercial impact:
Photon Force is a recent spin-out (March 2015) from the U. of Edinburgh, supported by a Royal Society of Edinburgh Enterprise Fellowship (Dr Richard Walker). This spin-out is commercialising highly-multiplexed CMOS SPAD arrays, targeting many applications. Currently, however, one issue that limits the applicable markets of these detector arrays is the low fill-factor, which directly results from the requirement to devote a large amount of chip real-estate to timing electronics. This project will directly address this limiting factor, and provide Photon Force with a game-changing and proprietary approach to solving it. It will also open up new markets, where single-mode detection is necessary (e.g. quantum metrology and heterodyne mixing).

This project will also enable Photon Force to develop key compact cooling techniques, to substantially reduce dark counts. Again, this will open up a plethora of opportunities to Photon Force, by accessing markets that require minimal noise and high detection efficiency. In general, this project will provide Photon Force will key cross-sectorial market awareness. This will enable them to broaden their product base and develop new opportunities for their products as they emerge.

2. Impact on personal development:
A key impact result of this project will be the formation and strengthening of collaboration between the project team. The project will directly employ a PDRA at Heriot Watt for 18 months. This PDRA will have an exceptional opportunity to develop a wide range of translatable skills that are in high demand across numerous sectors. We see the career development of this person as being a key impact of the project (see Pathways to Impact). The project investigators will themselves also be positively impacted. Walker, Nedbal, Thomson and Bookey will form a close collaboration, opening up future opportunities for further collaboration and exploitation of the technologies developed by Photon Force.

3. Societal impact:
We are on the verge of a quantum revolution. The use of single photons for imaging, computing, communications and sensing will transform our lives in decades to come. At the heart of all these areas is the basic ability to detect single-photons, in a manner that is free of distorting phenomena (e.g. photon pile-up). This project aims to directly address this challenge, and therefore has the potential to contribute significantly to the benefits that society will experience in the years to come.

We also see our technology as being enabling in a number of areas that will result in significant benefits for society. For example, the use of single-photon time-correlated detection is now attracting significant interest in medical imaging using ballistic photons - this will open up new opportunities for deep-tissue imaging without the use, and side-effects, of ionising radiation. We also see exciting opportunities for single-photon imaging in areas such as wind-LIDAR, a rapidly maturing technique for wind-velocity profiling at wind farms. This will enable the continual optimisation of the blade angle, maximising energy extraction while minimising the risk of damage. Through applications such as this, we anticipate this project will have a range of positive environmental impacts to the benefit of society.

4. Academic impact
Quantum science is currently one of the hottest fields in academic science. Although this project is focused primarily on enabling the commercial exploitation of the Photon Force detector arrays, we also see the academic impact as being important. The results of the coupling technique development will themselves be the subject of academic papers in high-impact journals and will be presented at international conferences. We will also aim to provide our multiplexed detectors to leading academic groups, who will then publish papers based on our technology.