Created a prototype of the most sensitive camera in mereceria Alexandrov | 05.11.2020
Scientists of the Center STI “Quantum communications” nust “MISIS” presented the world’s first prototype of the imaging detector of infrared photons camera is so powerful that it can “see” the movement of single
particles of such radiation.
The device will find application in fields requiring high-precision measurement: a secure (quantum) communication, quantum computing and diagnostic medicine. Work is carried out in the framework
the state contract to perform R & d on the order of the Ministry of industry and trade of the Russian Federation.
The first attempts to detect the photons “by the piece” was made in the early XX century, electronic lamps in the photomultiplier tubes. However, the first devices, because of weak technological
component, was slow, sometimes didn’t work or worked falsely. A significant breakthrough in infrared occurred in early 2000-ies, when the team of a Russian physicist Grigory
Of Goltsman, founded the company “Kontel”, created a single-pixel single-photon detector in the superconductors.
Now, in 2020, in the Center STI “Quantum communications” nust “MISIS” commissioned by the Ministry of industry and trade of the Russian Federation, the team is developing a 1000-pixel imaging detector of single photons. Device
unique in the world, will allow not only to detect the particles, but also to the image in almost complete darkness.
According to the developers, a request for multi-pixel photon detectors grows with the development of technology. The new cameras will be used in fiber networks to secure communication channels for
security of data transmission.
“If an attacker tries to steal some information encoded in the photons, it just can’t do it secretly. The photon detectors will be installed at the consumer,
and the sender information. And if information was stolen, then the information will go at the speed of light,” says Gregory Holtzman, chief researcher of the laboratory of “Quantum communication”
Center of STI nust “Misa”, founder of “Scontel”.
At the moment the first stage is complete created by 8 pixels. According to scientists, this quantity allows us to understand and control the principles of operation of the matrix, a further question – in scaling.
“The meter is located inside the cryostat at a temperature of 2 Kelvin, which is close to absolute zero. When detection of a photon it sends a signal to the processing circuit and the display occurs
the image,” explains Gregory Holtzman.
The next step of the matrix of 1000 pixels to the image to 1000000 pixels. You can “open” one pixel at a time, as in old TVs, but it will be very slow. Therefore, for
further scaling of the resulting image, it is passed through special patterns.
“There is a way to accelerate the process is to open the pixel groups. For this purpose, special stencils. Open a pattern, measure how much light hits the detector, then the second
pattern, and so on”, – says Alexander Korneev, senior researcher of the laboratory of “Quantum communications” Center of STI nust “Misa”.
According to the developers, the device will find application in high technology areas: when establishing a secure quantum communication lines, including satellite communication channels, at
the design of a quantum computer photons in diagnostic medical devices for the detection of cancerous tumors.
surveillance
