ATTRACT featured stories: Single pixel thermal camera based on liquid crystal resonant structures (PhotonicSys)

ATTRACT featured stories: Single pixel thermal camera based on liquid crystal resonant structures (PhotonicSys)
©PhotonicSys
What has the ATTRACT seed funding enabled you to do so far?

The ATTRACT funding helped us achieve several important issues so far: patent filing processes, 1st demonstration of improved single pixel SWIR camera, initial experiments on liquid crystal based infrared camera utilising the absorption in the liquid crystal layer itself as well as the stimulated response due to IR sensitive layer enhanced by resonant photonic structure.

What challenges have you faced so far?

Obtaining good contrast infrared image using this approach is a challenge as most of the IR sensitive layers exhibit large dark current at room temperature. Another challenge is manufacturing a resonant structure which is usually associated with higher sensitivity to misalignment and defects.

Where does your ATTRACT journey go from here?

More funding will be required for:

  1. Demonstrating improved performance of thermal cameras based on our other concepts combining resonant liquid crystal photonic structure with a IR responsive layer
  2. Developing mass production process for achieving the low cost of final product.
Sum up in two sentences the advantages of the ATTRACT Programme over other research funding schemes.

The ATTRACT programme has the following advantages:

  1. Focusing to achieve well defined milestones within a year,
  2. Interaction with a community of partners within the same ATTRACT round as well as a group of investors.

For more information

Visit the PhotonicSys project site.

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