An image sensor based on single-pulse photoacoustic electromagnetic detection (SPEED): a simulation study

TL;DR

This paper proposes a novel image sensor concept called SPEED, which uses photoacoustic electromagnetic detection to achieve high-speed, broadband, and low-cost imaging, demonstrated through simulation studies.

Contribution

The paper introduces the SPEED sensor concept, leveraging optoacoustic principles to overcome bandwidth, speed, and cost limitations of current image sensors, supported by simulation results.

Findings

Feasibility of SPEED demonstrated through simulations

Potential for high frame rate imaging at low cost

Broad electromagnetic spectrum operation possible

Abstract

Image sensors are the backbone of many imaging technologies of great importance to modern sciences, being particularly relevant in biomedicine. An ideal image sensor should be usable through all the electromagnetic spectrum (large bandwidth), it should be fast (millions of frames per second) to fulfil the needs of many microscopy applications, and it should be cheap, in order to ensure the sustainability of the healthcare system. However, current image sensor technologies have fundamental limitations in terms of bandwidth, imaging rate or price. In here, we briefly sketch the principles of an alternative image sensor concept termed Single-pulse Photoacoustic Electromagnetic Detection (SPEED). SPEED leverages the principles of optoacoustic (photoacoustic) tomography to overcome several of the hard limitations of todays image sensors. Specifically, SPEED sensors can operate with a massive portion of the electromagnetic spectrum at high frame rate (millions of frames per second) and low cost. Using simulations, we demonstrate the feasibility of the SPEED methodology and we discuss the step towards its implementation.