Summary: UCLA researchers from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering have developed a novel transducer for integrated cavity optomechanical thermal imaging.
Background: Measuring infrared (IR) radiation provides information across a range of scientific, industrial, and medical applications, and is widely used in thermography, medical imaging, and consumer electronics. Existing technologies for measuring IR radiation rely on either photon detection or thermal detection. Photon detectors use semiconducting materials that generate an electrical current when exposed to IR radiation. They offer high sensitivity and fast response times but typically require cryogenic cooling to reduce noise, which increases cost and complexity. Thermal detectors, in contrast, measure the heating effect of IR radiation on a material. They generally operate without cryogenic cooling and are simpler and less expensive, but they suffer from lower sensitivity and slower response times. As a result, there remains an unmet need for a highly sensitive method of measuring IR radiation that does not require cryogenic cooling.
Innovation: UCLA researchers in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering have developed a highly sensitive method for measuring infrared radiation without the need for cryogenic cooling. This technology uses optomechanical oscillators integrated with transduction elements to collect external radiation. This causes structural deformations in the material that are proportional to the amount of collected radiation. The device operates at room temperature as the optomechanical oscillators are laser driven, allowing for strong transduction. This high sensitivity method has wide ranging applications in imaging and electronics.
Potential Applications: • Medical diagnostics • Environmental monitoring • Consumer electronics • Thermal imaging • Defense • Aerospace applications
Advantages: • High sensitivity • Room temperature operation • Laser-driven
Development-To-Date: The first description of the invention is complete (10/20/2022)
Reference: UCLA Case No. 2023-294
Lead Inventor: Chee Wei Wong