Fast gated superconducting nanowire camera for multi-functional optical tomograph

Project Information

fastMOT

Grant agreement ID: 101099291

DOI

10.3030/101099291

EC signature date 22 November 2022

Start date 1 April 2023

End date 31 March 2027

Funded under

• The European Innovation Council (EIC)

Total cost

€ 2 495 508,75

EU contribution

€ 2 495 508,50

Coordinated by

SINGLE QUANTUM BV
Netherlands

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - fastMOT (Fast gated superconducting nanowire camera for multi-functional optical tomograph)

Reporting period: 2024-04-01 to 2025-09-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Traditionally, organ monitoring and deep-body functional imaging are performed using ultrasound, X-ray (including CT), PET or MRI. However, these techniques allow only very limited measurements of functionality and are usually combined with exogenous and radioactive agents. To overcome this limitation, six partners, coordinated by the Dutch SME Single Quantum, have joined forces to develop an ultra-high performance light sensor in different imaging techniques to radically improve the performance of microscopy and imaging.
The novel sensor is based on superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors, which have been shown to be ultra-fast and highly efficient. However, the active area and number of pixels have so far been limited to micrometre diameters and tens of pixels. The fastMOT consortium now aims at developing new techniques to overcome this limit and scale to 10,000 pixels and millimetre diameter. In addition, new strategies for performing time domain near infrared spectroscopy (TD-NIRS) and time domain speckle contrast optical spectroscopy (TD-SCOS) will be developed to optimally use this new light sensor with Monte-Carlo simulations.
The benefits of this new technology include:
* Higher accuracy of non-invasive diagnosis: The proposed MOT has the potential to significantly improve the accuracy of non-invasive diagnosis and will make it possible to monitor body functions such as oxygenation, haemodynamics or perfusion.
* 100x improvement of signal-to-noise ratio: Implemented in the new Multifunctional Optical Tomograph, the light sensor will achieve a 100x improvement of signal-to-noise ratio compared to using existing light sensors.
* Major impact on numerous sectors: Not only will the new sensing technology improve microscopy and imaging performance, but it will also enable ground breaking applications that will lead to new insights and a major economic boost.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

In the first year of the project we have evaluated different detector specifications and tested their influence on experiments using Montecarlo simulations. Regarding the novel detector with extended area, we have outlined the main specifications and showed a proof of principle of the main novel elements we need to scale up the number of pixels up to the goal of 10,000.
In addition, we set up a laboratory working station at Politecnico Milano that combines Single Quantum’s superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) with state-of-the-art laser systems to allow the exploration of the experimental parameters for functional diffuse optical imaging deep into the brain, in particular the combination of time-domain Near Infrared spectroscopy (TD-NIRS) and time-domain speckle correlation spectroscopy (TD-SCOS). We achieved some promising initial results on the experimental setup that will allow to define the next steps in the project.

In the second reporting period, we exploited the laboratory working station with single-pixel SNSPDs for time-domain Near-infrared spectroscopy and speckle correlation spectroscopy to find a good set of experimental parameters (laser wavelength and pulse duration) for the experiments. This will be the stepping stone to develop the tomographic working station. We also scaled up the number of pixels in an SNSPD array with independently addressed pixels to 100 total channels in one single system. This device will be use to benchmark the complete solution of hybrid TD-NIRS and TD-SCOS in a tomographic approach.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

In the first reporting period, the project is in an initial state and the results so far have limited impact: the main results of the project, both on the detector side and on the applications side are planned for a later stage of the project. However, we expect that the results at a later state in the project to be impactful in the field of diffuse optics.

In this second period for the project, on the Single Quantum’s superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) side, we successfully duplicated the total number of independently addressed SNSPDs inside a single cryostat, to reach 100 channels. The efforts at TU Delft showed an experimental proof-of-principle of optical gating of an SNSPD, delivering sub-nanosecond gating speeds. On the development of the modeling for light propagation in the brain, we created a software virtual instrument that integrates Monte Carlo light transport with realistic source and multi-pixel SNSPD detector models. This software allows us to evaluate system performance and guide our experimental efforts. We experimentally tested the suitability of different laser sources for the experiments and identified the most promising candidate for the optical configuration for the homograph and performed liquid phantom tests demonstrating system stability, quality and sensitivity. These results were presented in several scientific dissemination channels such as conferences and journal publications.

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