News: Optoelectronics
17 April 2023
Sivananthan Labs completes Phase II STTR program
Sivananthan Laboratories Inc of Bolingbrook, IL, USA, a business incubator in infrared sensing and imaging, has completed a $1.5m award from the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase II program for the development of an entangled short-wavelength infrared (En-SWIR) photon source. The contract was awarded to further the development, fabrication and evaluation of a gallium arsenide (GaAs)-based nano-structured source emitting entangled photons at the standard optical communication wavelength of 1550nm and for the development of metasurface-enhanced detectors at the same wavelength.
This follows a Phase I that established proof of concept and demonstrated the potential of the fast-emerging field of quantum sensing, which promises many orders of magnitude enhancements in imaging, sensing, computing, metrology and communication, in addition to offering opportunities to further the understanding of fundamental physics.
The entangled photon source proposed by Sivananthan Laboratories has the potential for several orders of magnitude enhancement in efficiency and brightness over state-of-the-art sources, it is reckoned.
“When used as part of the imaging system envisioned by our company, En-SWIR provides increased signal-to-noise ratio, allowing for non-direct-line-of-sight imaging of distant objects with increased image quality and low power consumption, making it ideally suitable for space-based applications,” says project lead Dr Paul Boieriu. “The developments from this phase of study will provide critical assistance to our national efforts to produce entangled photon sources operating at room temperature,” adds Dr Srini Krishnamurthy, STTR contract program manager at Sivananthan.
Featuring advanced image processing algorithms, the En-SWIR entangled photon source and detector system envisioned by Sivananthan Laboratories ultimately promises to be an enabling technology for rapid and effective decision making, increasing the speed and reach of disruption of any defense forces. It is consistent with Sivananthan Laboratories’ business model and long-standing commitment to developing advanced technology for the US military.
