Abstract
Many imaging techniques require highly sensitive optical systems including detectors capable of measuring extremely small fluctuations in the detected incident light. Such systems use a modulated light source (at frequencies up to 100's of kHz) in combination with optics that induce a change in the amplitude and/or phase of the modulation in response to changes in the sample being imaged. These signals are usually demodulated using a point detector and a lock-in amplifier. However, this technique is not suitable for the fast acquisition of 2D images. Using a modified active pixel sensor architecture, cameras with resolutions up to 256 × 256 pixels which are capable of demodulating optical signals with frequencies up to 1 MHz and have been designed and fabricated. Each demodulation pixel consists of a photodiode, a reset switch, four independently controlled shutter switches and four supplementary well-boosting capacitances that improve both linearity and signal to noise ratio. The reset and shutter switches are implemented with 5 V thick oxide transistors to maximize the dynamic range of the sensor. Demodulation is achieved by rapidly acquiring four images at 90 degree intervals of the modulation period, then applying simple post processing to extract the modulation amplitude, phase, and DC level of the optical signal. The camera outputs 16 parallel analogue channels and can deliver total pixel rates of up to 160 Mega pixels per second. In imaging systems where demodulation is not necessary, the camera can be clocked to behave as a conventional DC camera capable of taking four images with independent exposure periods allowing for advanced multi-parametric imaging.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | Optical Sensors 2011; and Photonic Crystal Fibers V |
Volume | 8073 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 15 Jun 2011 |
Event | Optical Sensors 2011; and Photonic Crystal Fibers V - Prague, Czech Republic Duration: 18 Apr 2011 → 20 Apr 2011 |
Conference
Conference | Optical Sensors 2011; and Photonic Crystal Fibers V |
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Country/Territory | Czech Republic |
City | Prague |
Period | 18/04/11 → 20/04/11 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Computer Science Applications
- Applied Mathematics
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering