SLD Photonics is a start-up company seeking to further develop research that was originally performed in the Physics department at the University of Wyoming. The innovation is a single broadband detector that can span from 390-2200nm with a featureless quantum efficiency. There are two key advantages for the application of this new technology: 1) simplicity of using a single detector instead of multiple detectors, e.g., cross-calibration, and 2) a featureless responsivity over the spectral range eliminating the for post-processing to account for wavelength and intensity dependent responsivity. Currently, there is not a commercially available camera that can capture visible light and near infrared light. This innovation advances a camera capable of spanning this light range and fulfilling this unmet need. This research started in a state-sponsored university physics lab and requires further work to overcome technical barriers to become a commercially viable product. As a commercial product, this detector can be used in multiple commercial sectors including unmanned vehicles, the medical field, and for the defense and security of the nation. For example, in the medical field the ideal light for tissue penetration is between visible and near infrared. The camera developed in this project would permit optical scans of human bodies to diagnose diseases without expensive MRI technology or radiological exposure from high energy sources, i.e., x-rays. Additionally, this would help healthcare services in rural areas to have access to cheaper diagnosing services. This device is currently under active research with an NSF SBIR Phase I grant.
