Continuous wave infrared spectral imaging

In recent years, an increasing interest in mid-IR imaging and spectroscopy has emerged, based on many new applications such as:

1. Medical applications
2. Environmental monitoring
3. Food analysis
4. Combustion analysis
5. Civil and defense applications

While much advance has been made in the development of novel light sources, in terms of Quantum Cascaded Lasers, Optical Parametric Oscillators, and fiber based Super-K sources, not much progress has been made in terms of low noise detector systems.

Traditional IR detectors are hampered by substantial noise, both in terms of electronic dark noise and read noise. As a result IR detection needs cryogenic cooling for low noise operation, resulting in high operations cost limiting the applicability for real life applications.

 

At DTU Fotonik, the Optical Sensor Technology Group has developed a new concept for IR light detection, where IR light, rather than being detected directly in the IR spectral region, is converted to near visible light where the light is easily detected with Si-based cameras resulting in very low noise system performance, even at room temperature.

 

 

The patented technology has been developed into a proof of concept device, capable of detecting very week signals with unprecedented signal to noise ratios event at room temperature. The new technology even has build-in spectral functionality allowing for multispectral imaging in the mid-IR spectral region, where many substances has a very distinct spectral fingerprint.  

 

 

This new up-conversion device is considered as a platform technology, enabling the development of a new class of compact, low cost detection systems for a wide range of applications within IR spectroscopy.

 

 

  

                            

N. Sanders, J. S. Dam, O. B. Jensen, P. Tidemand-Lichtenberg, C. Pedersen

 “Multispectral mid-infrared imaging using frequency upconversion”

Oral presentation 8604-27 at Photonics West 2013, San Francisco, California, USA, 2 - 7 Feb. 2013

 

J. S. Dam, Q. Hu, P. Tidemand-Lichtenberg, C. Pedersen

“High resolution mid-infrared spectroscopy based on frequency upconversion”

Oral presentation 8604-27 at Photonics West 2013, San Francisco, California, USA, 2 - 7 Feb. 2013

 

P. Tidemand-Lichtenberg, J. S. Dam and C. Pedersen

“Frequency up-conversion based single photon, mid-IR spectral imaging with 20 % quantum efficiency”

Oral presentation WO.8, NLO50, Barcelona, Spain, 7 - 10 Oct. 2012

http://www.nlo50.icfo.es/index.html

 

E. Krenzen, L. M. Kehlet, P. Tidemand-Lichtenberg, J. S. Dam, O. B. Jensen, C. Pedersen, and A. Müller

“Tunable mW Narrow Bandwidth Mid-Infrared Light Source”

Poster AW4A – ASSP, San Diego, California, USA, 29 Jan. –1 Feb. 2012

OSA Technical Digest Series 

http://www.opticsinfobase.org/abstract.cfm?URI=ASSP-2012-AW4A.2                            

                            

J. S. Dam, C. Pedersen and P. Tidemand-Lichtenberg

“Image upconversion - a low noise infrared sensor?”

Oral presentation 8240-15 at Photonics West 2012, San Francisco, California, USA, 21 - 26 Jan. 2012

http://proceedings.spiedigitallibrary.org/volume.aspx?volumeid=13346

 

J. S. Dam, C. Pedersen and P. Tidemand-Lichtenberg

“Improved space bandwidth product in image upconversion”

Oral presentation 8240-14 at Photonics West 2012, San Francisco, California, USA, 21 - 26 Jan. 2012

http://proceedings.spiedigitallibrary.org/proceeding.aspx?articleid=1344618

 

J. S. Dam, C. Pedersen and P. Tidemand-Lichtenberg

“Wavelength conversion based spectral imaging”

Invited talk at Industrial Visionday, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark, 11 May 2011

http://www.dtu.dk/Service/Telefonbog.aspx?lg=showcommon&id=8087333d-249b-418d-bb4e-54caff3e8788

 

J. S. Dam, C. Pedersen and P. Tidemand-Lichtenberg

“A simple model for image upconversion of incoherent light”

Oral presentation 7917-39 at Photonics West 2011, San Francisco, California, USA, 22 - 27 Jan. 2011

http://proceedings.spiedigitallibrary.org/proceeding.aspx?articleid=1349264

 

C. Pedersen, J. S. Dam and P. Tidemand-Lichtenberg

“High resolution 2-D image up-conversion of incoherent light”

Oral presentation 7917-38 at Photonics West 2011, San Francisco, California, USA, 22 - 27 Jan. 2011

http://proceedings.spiedigitallibrary.org/proceeding.aspx?articleid=1349263

 

J. S. Dam, K. P. Sørensen, C. Pedersen and P. Tidemand-Lichtenberg

“Mid-IR image acquisition using a standard CCD camera”

Oral presentation FWX5 at Frontiers in Optics 2010, Rochester, New York, USA, October 24 – 28, 2010

OSA Technical Digest Series

http://www.opticsinfobase.org/abstract.cfm?URI=FiO-2010-FWX5

 

C. Pedersen, E. Karamehmedović, J. S. Dam, P. Buchhave and P. Tidemand-Lichtenberg

“2-D Nonlinear Image Up-conversion and Filtering Using Enhanced Sum Frequency Generation”

Oral FThR6 – Frontiers in Optics 2009/Laser Science XXV, San Jose, California, USA October 11 – 15, 2009

OSA Technical Digest Series                                                                                                  

http://www.opticsinfobase.org/abstract.cfm?URI=FiO-2009-FThR6

 

 

 

SPIE Startup Challenge finalists 2013:

http://spie.org/x91942.xml

 

Intel Business Challenge Europe 2012, 3rd place:

http://intelchallenge.eu/Page/View/31/2012

 

Venture Cup finalists 2012:

http://www.venturecup.dk/events/scfinalists2012/

 

 

 

 

Laser Focus World, January 2013:

http://www.laserfocusworld.com/articles/print/volume-49/issue-01/features/photon-counting--upconversion-imager-measures-single-mid-ir-phot.html

 

Videnskabens verden: Kamera sladrer om lungebetændelse, 13. January 2013:

  http://podcast.dr.dk/P1/videnskabens_verden/2013/videnskabens_verden_1301151403.mp3

 

LifeSciences Insight 4, pp 8 – 9, December 2012:

http://issuu.com/raskmedia/docs/lsi_4-2012/9#

 

Årets Danske Forskningsresultat 2012, Videnskab.dk, December 2012:

http://videnskab.dk/videnskabdk/arets-danske-forskningsresultat-glade-vindere-indtog-syddansk-universitet

 

Ingeniøren, Ing.dk November 2012:

http://ing.dk/artikel/133888-dtu-ivaerksaettere-dominerer-i-global-innovationskonkurrence

 

Videnskab.dk, September 2012:

http://videnskab.dk/teknologi/dansk-kamera-kan-fotografere-kemiske-stoffer

 

Science Nordic, September 2012:

http://sciencenordic.com/new-camera-detects-chemicals

 

Go’morgen P3, September 2012:

http://www.dr.dk/p3/programmer/gomorgen-p3/2012/09/19/nyt-objektiv-afslorer-hudkraeft-og-fordaervet-kod-med-det-samme

On-air interview September 17, 2012

 

Jyllandsposten, September 2012:

http://jyllands-posten.dk/nyviden/article4844105.ece

 

Optics and Photonics Focus, May 2011:

http://opfocus.org/index.php?topic=story&v=13&s=5

 

Medico Innovations nyhedsbrev, February 2011:

http://www.medico-innovation.dk/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/01-2011-Nyhedsbrev1.pdf 

 

New Scientist, December 2010:

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn19840-infrared-addon-could-let-standard-cameras-see-cancer.html

 

Laser Focus World, February 2010:

http://www.laserfocusworld.com/articles/2010/01/nonlinear-optics-.html