Amplification Technologies Develops Solid State Photomultiplier in Near Infrared Wavelength Range

Amplification Technologies Inc. (ATI), a company that focuses to transform the field of low-level signal detection has developed a solid state photomultiplier that can operate in the near infrared (NIR) wavelengths of 1000 to 1700 nanometers (nm).

 

The development work of the same was funded by Phase II of a NASA SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) grant.

 

A photomultiplier is an electronic sensing device used to detect electromagnetic energy of a wide range of frequencies and intensity. A solid state photomultiplier is a silicon device capable of continuous detection of individual photons or the elementary particle responsible for electromagnetic phenomena.

 

These devices will be of great interest in the fields of spectroscopy, night vision, industrial and scientific instrumentation, astronomy, quantum cryptography and other military, defense and aerospace applications.

 

ATI announced that the samples of these new solid state photomultiplier are expected to be available from ATI in TO8 or Chip on Sub-mount (COS) packages in the 4th quarter of 2008.

 

“NASA needs high efficiency and high bandwidth single photon counting devices in the 1000-1600 nm wavelength region, and the new device from Amplification Technologies is the easiest to operate photon counting detector with good performance that we have seen in that wavelength range," said Mr. William Farr, manager of the Optical Communication Technology program at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).

 

Farr mentioned this new device as a significant breakthrough for free space optical communications and other near-infrared photon counting applications.

 

To develop this device, ATI developed has implemented its Discrete Amplification Photon Detector (DAPD) technology on the on the InGaAs/InP material system which has helped the company to expand the potential applications of DAPD beyond visible light to NIR wavelengths.

 

“Implementing DAPD in the InGaAs/InP material system is a major step forward for low level photon detection and amplification, and opens the door to new and improved applications and opportunities across many diverse fields,” said Jack N. Mayer, executive chairman at ATI.

 

Mayer also said that his company appreciates the confidence and support of NASA JPL, whose funding helped them to make this breakthrough a reality.

 

ATI’s pending merger with Powersafe Technology Inc. is still in progress.