University of Ottawa

Purpose

The objective of the project is to improve light absorption in light detectors, the devices used to detect light. Specifically, our plan is to go beyond the wavelength (or color) limit of the existing optoelectronic devices such as short-wavelength infrared (SWIR) focal plane arrays (FPAs) to push it to longer wavelengths. This can be achieved by a careful design and implementation of two-dimensional arrays of metal nanoparticles (a metasurface) that can be attached to the detector's sensitive element and can influence its optical response. The expected long-term outcome is a new generation of detectors capable of sensing longer-wavelength infrared light, which is technically challenging with the existing devices. Optoelectronic devices sensitive to longer-wavelength infrared radiation have applications in biomedical imaging, solar cell inspection, agricultural quality control and other areas.