Bio-Optical System-on-chip Based on CMOS Single Photon Avalanche Diode Technology

Overview:

In this project we propose to study, design, and build a miniaturized single photon imaging system-on-chip for fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM).

In the proposed imaging system-on-chip a new type of optical sensor is being used capable of discriminating single photons with unprecedented timing resolution. FLIM, for which sensitivity and speed are essential, will therefore greatly benefit from the sensor, thus yielding extremely accurate characterizations and drastically shorter acquisition times. The second key innovation of this system is the level of miniaturization that will be achieved thanks to a number of recent breakthroughs in imaging techniques, sensor technology, and reconfigurable processing. The third advantage of this approach is cost, minimized by the use of standard CMOS technology and compact, low-cost, and possibly biocompatible, packages.

In the long term we would like to apply this technique to in vitro and in vivo neural imaging. We believe that using high-speed FLIM can be of great benefit for understanding fast neural mechanisms.

Research Goals:

• Redesign and fabrication of SPAD array in 0.35μm HV CMOS Technology.
• Development of an electro-optical setup for FLIM: The main goal of these experiments is to develop new tools for biomedical imaging based on this detector technology.
• In vitro and in vivo fluorescence lifetime imaging of neural cells.

Research Collaborators:

Quantum Architecture Group (AQUA - Prof. Edoardo Charbon)
Sensory Processing Laboratory (LSENS - Prof. Carl Petersen)