Abstract: A SPIM-microscope (Selective Plane Imaging Microscopy) and a method of operating the same having a y-direction illumination light source and a z-direction detection light camera. An x-scanner generates a sequential light sheet by scanning the illumination light beam in the x-direction. An electronic zoom is provided that is adapted to change the scanning length in the x-direction independently of a focal length of the illumination light beam and a size of the light sheet in the y-direction and in the z-direction, wherein the number of image pixels in x-direction is maintained unchanged by the electronic zoom independently of the scanning length in x-direction that has been selected.

Abstract: Conventional readout of a superconducting nanowire single-photon detector (SNSPD) sets an upper bound on the output voltage to be the product of the bias current and the load impedance, IB×Zload, where Zload is limited to 50? in standard RF electronics. This limit is broken/exceeded by interfacing the 50? load and the SNSPD using an integrated superconducting transmission line taper. The taper is a transformer that effectively loads the SNSPD with high impedance without latching. The taper increases the amplitude of the detector output while preserving the fast rising edge. Using a taper with a starting width of 500 nm, a 3.6× higher pulse amplitude, 3.7× faster slew rate, and 25.1 ps smaller timing jitter was observed. The taper also makes the detector's output voltage sensitive to the number of photon-induced hotspots and enables photon number resolution.

Abstract: A silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate includes a silicon dioxide layer and a silicon layer. A detection region receives a detected optical mode coupled to an incident optical mode defined by an optical waveguide in the silicon layer. The detection region consists essentially of an intrinsic semiconductor material with a spacing structure surrounding at least a portion of the detection region, which comprises p-type, n-type doped semiconductor regions adjacent to first, second portions, respectively, of the detection region. A dielectric layer is deposited over at least a portion of the spacing structure. The silicon layer is located between the dielectric layer and the silicon dioxide layer. First, second metal contact structures are formed within trenches in the dielectric layer electrically coupling to the p-type, n-type doped semiconductor regions, respectively, without contacting any of the intrinsic semiconductor material of the detection region.

Abstract: A measurement apparatus and a measurement method capable of speedily and accurately measuring an edge shape are provided. A measurement apparatus according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes an objective lens positioned so that its focal plane cuts across an edge part of a substrate, a detector including a plurality of pixels and configured to detect a reflected light from the edge part of the substrate through a confocal optical system, an optical head in which the objective lens and the detector are disposed, a moving mechanism configured to change a relative position of the optical head with respect to the substrate so that an inclination of the focal plane with respect to the substrate is changed, and a processing unit configured to measure a shape of the edge part.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes: plural photodiodes formed in different depths in a unit pixel area of a substrate; and plural vertical transistors formed in the depth direction from one face side of the substrate so that gate portions for reading signal charges obtained by photoelectric conversion in the plural photodiodes are formed in depths corresponding to the respective photodiodes.

Abstract: An obstacle detection system includes a light emitter that emits a light signal and a light detector configured to receive a portion of the light signal reflected back from an object. The system includes a processor operatively coupled to the light emitter and the light detector to determine a presence of an obstacle based on the portion of the light signal received by the light detector. The system includes a heater operatively coupled to a power source and at least one sensor configured to determine an ambient temperature and an ambient relative humidity. The processor is operatively coupled to the power source, the heater, and the at least one sensor. The processor is configured to calculate a dew point of the environment from the ambient relative humidity and the ambient temperature and to activate the heater in response to the ambient temperature being less than the dew point.

Abstract: The various embodiments described herein include methods, devices, and systems for fabricating and operating superconducting photon detectors. In one aspect, a photon detector includes: (1) a first waveguide configured to guide photons from a photon source; (2) a second waveguide that is distinct and separate from the first waveguide and optically-coupled to the first waveguide; and (3) a superconducting component positioned adjacent to the second waveguide and configured to detect photons within the second waveguide.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an electronic apparatus and method capable of identifying a state of an object. The electronic apparatus includes a light-emitting diode array configured to transmit light beams having different wavelengths, a photodiode array configured to receive the light beams, a display, and a processor configured to control the light-emitting diode array to transmit the light beams having the different wavelengths toward an object, identify a state of the object based on intensities reflected on the object according to the light beams having the different wavelengths that are received by the photodiode array, and display information about the state of the object on the display.

Abstract: In one example, an apparatus comprises: a plurality of photodiodes, one or more charge sensing units, one or more analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), and a controller. The controller is configured to: enable the each photodiode to generate charge in response to a different component of the incident light; transfer the charge from the plurality of photodiodes to the one or more charge sensing units to convert to voltages; receive a selection of one or more quantization processes of a plurality of quantization processes corresponding to a plurality of intensity ranges; based on the selection, control the one or more ADCs to perform the selected one or more quantization processes to quantize the voltages from the one or more charge sensing units to digital values representing components of a pixel of different wavelength ranges; and generate a pixel value based on the digital values.

Abstract: A photo-detecting apparatus includes an optical-to-electric converter, having a first output terminal, configured to convert an incident light to an electrical signal; a cascode transistor, having a control terminal, a first channel terminal and a second channel terminal, wherein the second channel terminal of the cascode transistor is coupled to the first output terminal of the optical-to-electric converter; and a reset transistor, having a control terminal, a first channel terminal and a second channel terminal, wherein the first channel terminal of the reset transistor is coupled to a supply voltage and the second channel terminal of the reset transistor is coupled to the first channel terminal of the cascode transistor.

Abstract: An apparatus for remote detection of plant growth dynamics is described. The apparatus includes an excitation LED (light emitting diode) module, a detection module and a controller module coupled to the excitation LED module and the detection module. The excitation LED module includes at least one LED. Each LED is configured to emit an excitation light in response to an excitation control signal. The excitation light has an emitted light spectrum. The detection module includes a photodetector configured to detect an initial chlorophyll a fluorescence (“ChlF”) light and an excited ChlF light from a plant species. The photodetector is further configured to convert the detected initial ChlF light into an initial detection electrical signal and the detected excited ChlF light into an excited detection electrical signal. The excited ChlF light is emitted from the plant species in response to receiving the excitation light.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method for detecting light having a specified or first wavelength. The apparatus includes a substrate that generates charge separation in the presence of light having the first wavelength. An active material is deposited onto the substrate. The active material is configured to conduct current in the presence of light having a second wavelength. Two electrodes are connected to the active material. Light having the second wavelength is constantly applied to the active material and the current is monitored via the electrodes. The active material will conduct zero or minimal current via the electrodes if the substrate does not generate charge separation. Detection the presence of light having the first wavelength may be detected upon the detection of current via the two electrodes. The first wavelength may be non-visible light and the second wavelength may be visible light.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an optical system. In one aspect, the optical system includes a plurality of imagers configured to emit an electromagnetic radiation, a plurality of optical sensors configured to receive the electromagnetic radiation from the imagers, and a beam splitting device disposed at an optical path between the imagers and the optical sensors. In one example, the beam splitting device is a multi-way beam splitter configured to receive the electromagnetic radiation from one of the imagers and separate the received electromagnetic radiation into a plurality of portions, each separated portion of the received electromagnetic radiation being directed to one of the optical sensors.

Abstract: A system to detect obstacles includes a power beam transmission circuit, a power beam reception circuit arranged to receive a power beam from the power beam transmission circuit, an emitter module, and a detector module arranged to distinguish between a first characteristic and a second characteristic. The emitter module includes a first emitter arranged to emit a first signal having the first characteristic, the first signal emitted in proximity to the power beam, and a second emitter arranged to emit a second signal having the second characteristic, the second characteristic different from the first characteristic, the second signal emitted in proximity to the first signal. The detector module includes a first detector arranged to respond to the first signal emitted by the first emitter, wherein the detector module is arranged to determine when an obstacle is in or near a line-of-sight transmission path between the first emitter and the first detector.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention relates to a system for operating a plurality of streetlights in response to motion from a vehicle. The system includes a sensor associated with at least one of the streetlights and configured to detect the presence of a moving vehicle and to provide a signal representative of the moving vehicle. The system further includes a radio frequency transceiver associated with each of the streetlights. The system yet further includes processing electronics configured to receive the signal representative of the moving vehicle from the sensor and to cause the radio frequency transceiver to transmit a command to one or more of the plurality of the streetlights to change lighting states along a pathway for the vehicle.

Abstract: A measured photo-event array is converted from two spatial coordinates and one temporal coordinate into three spatial coordinates for real-time imaging. Laser light pulses illuminate at least one object, and a Geiger-mode avalanche photodiode array receives photons from laser light reflected off the object. For each pulse of the laser light, the GMAPD outputs a first array of photo-events representative of reflected photons. A three-dimensional (3D) Gaussian distribution kernel arranged as a list of array locations to be processed and weight list(s) are provided. The weight list(s) specify an amount array values are scaled based on the Gaussian distribution or photon arrival time. A graphics processing unit arranges the first array of measured photo-events as a list, convolves the Gaussian displacement list with the list of measured photo-events to produce a convolution output, and applies weights from the weight list(s) to the values to produce a density point cloud.

Abstract: An amplifying circuit, which can operate in one of a sample mode and a hold mode, comprising: an amplifier; a current providing circuit, configured to provide a first bias current to the amplifier in a power saving time interval when the amplifying circuit operates in the sample mode, and configured to provide a second bias current to the amplifier when the amplifying circuit operates in the hold mode; wherein the first bias current is smaller than the second bias current.

Abstract: A first photodiode is integrated within at least a first layer of one or more semiconductor layers, the first photodiode comprising an active area optically coupled to a guided mode of a first waveguide to couple the first photodiode to an optical distribution network. One or more associated photodiodes are associated with the first photodiode integrated within at least the first layer in proximity to the first photodiode. An active area of a single associated photodiode or a sum of active areas of multiple associated photodiodes is substantially equal to the active area of the first photodiode. None of the associated photodiodes is coupled to the optical distribution network. Electrical circuitry is configured to generate a signal that represents a difference between (1) a signal derived from the first photodiode and (2) a signal derived from a single associated photodiode or a sum of signals derived from multiple associated photodiodes.

Abstract: A method for parameterizing a machine-vision device. The method incudes the e following successive steps: a) selecting, depending on the zone of interest, a slaved lighting configuration, and recording the slaved lighting configuration in the control interface and/or applying the slaved lighting configuration; b) independently of step a), selecting an origin lighting configuration, and applying the origin lighting configuration; c) establishing an informational relationship between said origin and slaved lighting configurations and recording said relationship in the control interface so that the electronic unit commands the zone of interest to be lit in the slaved lighting configuration in response to an origin lighting configuration.

Abstract: A potentially small, gimballed, multi-sensor system employs a shared aperture for at least some of the image sensors. Applications include intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR), and guiding autonomous vehicles. The system can actively blend images from multiple spectral bands for clarity and interpretability, provide remote identification of objects and material, provide anomaly detection, control lasers and opto-mechanics for image quality, and use shared aperture using folded optics.