Researchers at the University of Surrey have developed a new kind of light sensor that detects the full spectrum — from ultra-violet (UV), through visible, to near infrared — and could potentially be manufactured into cameras at a commercially viable cost. Their research, which was published by Nature's Scientific Reports, may ultimately have a big impact on health care technology and consumer products alike.

Dr. Richard Curry of the University of Surrey's Advanced Technology Institute said, "This new technology could allow surgeons to 'see' inside tissue to find tumors prior to surgery, as well as equip consumer products, such as cameras and mobile phones with night imaging options. This is useful for capturing quality pictures in the dark, and may eventually enable parents to simply monitor a child's blood or tissue oxygenation level via a smartphone camera, which could be linked to health care professionals."

The new sensor is also exceptional because it is made from widely available materials and can be formed at room temperature. Other light sensors not only require specialized conditions, but are limited in the range of light they can detect. Requiring different sensors for specific portions of the spectrum has traditionally made full-light detection costly. "Our device geometry does not require the use of a transparent substrate or electrodes. This means we can make the devices on any material on which the metal electrodes can be deposited," said Curry, who sees no reason the new sensor could not be printed onto a normal piece of paper.
Besides the potential for better pictures in the dark and tissue monitoring, near infrared light has many useful applications in security camera systems, as well as quality control in the agricultural food industry.

"Over many years we have developed leading expertise in nanomaterials and their interaction with light, which has led to advances in photovoltaic devices and emitting devices. The development of photodetector devices based on these types of materials is a natural extension of this work, said Curry."

Curry believes it will still be some time before the new sensor can be implemented into commercial products. His group maintains a dialogue with a number of leading manufacturers who are interested in the potential for translating basic and applied research into the development of products, but there are enough variables in play that wide scale production is probably a question of years rather than months.

Back to HCB News

More Industry Headlines